The little mouse questioned him further and Veikko told her the whole story of his brothers and the trees.
“The two older ones are finding sweethearts easily enough,” Veikko said, “but I don’t see how I can off here in the forest. And it will shame me to have to go home and confess that I alone have failed.”
“See here, Veikko,” the little mouse said, “why don’t you take me for your sweetheart?”
Veikko laughed heartily.
“But you’re only a mouse! Whoever heard of a man having a mouse for a sweetheart!”
The mouse shook her little head solemnly.
“Take my word for it, Veikko, you could do much worse than have me for a sweetheart! Even if I am only a mouse I can love you and be true to you.”
She was a dear dainty little mouse and as she sat looking up at Veikko with her little paws under her chin and her bright little eyes sparkling Veikko liked her more and more.
Then she sang Veikko a pretty little song and the song cheered him so much that he forgot his disappointment at not finding a human sweetheart and as he left her to go home he said:
“Very well, little mouse, I’ll take you for my sweetheart!”