“I’m so glad to see you!” she squeaked. “I knew you would come back!”
Then when she noticed that he was silent she asked him what was the matter. Veikko told her:
“My father wants each of our sweethearts to bake him a loaf of bread. If I come home without a loaf my brothers will laugh at me.”
“You won’t have to go home without a loaf!” the little mouse said. “I can bake bread.”
Veikko was much surprised at this.
“I never heard of a mouse that could bake bread!”
“Well, I can!” the little mouse insisted.
With that she began ringing a small silver bell, tinkle, tinkle, tinkle. Instantly there was the sound of hurrying footsteps, tiny scratchy footsteps, and hundreds of mice came running into the hut.
The little Princess mouse sitting up very straight and dignified said to them:
“Each of you go fetch me a grain of the finest wheat.”