Taking up a stick she beat the little elves until they were sore and lame.
How they huddled in one corner, saying: “If this is the way to the beautiful world, we wish we had stayed at home.”
Mrs. Mouse said to her children: “My little dearies, you sweet little darlings, did they abuse you? I will take good care that they do not do it again. Aha, aha! They are looking for the beautiful world, are they? I will show them the beautiful world! They are to be my slaves. They shall serve me and mine, and that is the beautiful world for them.”
She turned to them, laughingly, and said: “So you want to see the beautiful world? Well, it lies at the end of this stick I want you to understand. Now, each to your task. What! You are not going!”
CHAPTER II
As she saw them cling closer and closer together, she raised the stick, and was about to give each a knock. But she suddenly dropped it and shook with fear.
The house was shaking! What could be the matter? Surely, the top of the house was falling in!
The elves, for safety, took to their wings.
As they flew high in the air they looked down and saw the reason why the house had tumbled. It was attacked by a big black cat.