“Let us go in,” said the younger brother. And he placed his foot in the hole and descended, followed by the other. They found there an enormous village of Field-mice in human form, their clothes, in the shape of Mice, hanging over the sides of the house. Some had their clothing all off down to their waists, and were betting as hard as they could and talking with one another.
As soon as the two brothers entered, they said: “Who comes?”
The Two answered: “We come.”
“Come in, come in,” cried the Mice,—they were not very polite. “Sit down and have a game. We have not anything to bet just now, but if you trust us we will bet with you.”
“What had you in mind in coming?” said an old Field-mouse with a broken tail.
They answered that they had come because they heard voices. Then they told their story.
“What is this you have to do?” asked the Mice.
“To clean all the hair off those pelts tomorrow.”
The Mice looked around at one another; their eyes fairly sparkled and burned.
“Now, then, we will help you if you will promise us something,” said they; “but we want your solemn promise.”