I am Shukebeta

Author: Zheng Yuanjie / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: "Shuke, you're grown up now, you can go out and find food yourself." One day, the mother mouse said to Shuke. "Really?" Shuke was happy. Shuke was a little mouse living in China. Since he was born, he had always been cooped up in his hole and had never played outside. "Tonight, I'll take you out. First, let's get familiar with the area, then you can go by yourself in the future." The mother said while gnawing her teeth. Shuke imitated his mother and gnawed his teeth too. He was very greedy and loved good food. Every time his mother brought back something delicious, he ate it until he was full. At night, Shuke followed his mother out of the hole. "Wow, what a big room!" Shuke exclaimed. "Be quiet!" the mother warned Shuke. Then, the mother told Shuke, "That's the wardrobe, that's the writing desk, and that's the bed." Shuke's eyes were dazzled, and he thought this world was very interesting. "This cabinet is useful for us. It's full of delicious food. It's called a refrigerator." The mother led Shuke to a small cabinet. "But its door is always closed. We need to find an opportunity. Now, let's go to the writing desk. There's a plate of peanuts there." Upon hearing peanuts, Shuke's mouth watered. He followed his mother up the writing desk and found a plate of fragrant peanuts on the table. Shuke and his mother ate heartily. It was so delicious! "Thief! Learning to steal at such a young age!" a voice came from the darkness, scaring Shuke. "Stealing other people's food, shameless!" another voice said. Shuke looked at the moonlight and saw a birdcage on the windowsill. There were two parrots in it, one blue and one green. Those words just came from them. Hearing himself called a "thief," Shuke blushed. He looked at his mother, but she acted as if she hadn't heard and continued eating. "Have you had enough?" the mother asked when Shuke stopped eating. "Mom, is this stealing?" Shuke asked softly. "Silly child, what stealing or not, our mice have lived this way for generations. Don't listen to them. They sell people as un. Just eat quickly." Shuke ate two more peanuts and felt that today's peanuts weren't as fragrant as usual.
The next night, Shuke went out to find food by himself. He came to the writing desk again, but the plate of peanuts was gone. Just as Shuke was about to go down, the blue parrot shouted, "The thief is here again!" "Truly, what kind of mother has what kind of son," the green parrot chimed in. "Nonsense! My mother said we're not thieves!" Shuke wanted to prove his point and shouted loudly at the parrots. "Did you earn this food through your labor?" the blue parrot asked Shuke. "I..." Shuke couldn't speak. "It's not earned through your labor, it's stolen!" the green parrot snorted. "Hmph, your mother not only steals but also causes destruction. The clothes in the wardrobe were torn by her!" an unknown voice said. Shuke froze. "Go ask around. Who doesn't know you mice are villains? Do you dare go out in broad daylight? Everyone says, 'Mice crossing the street, everyone shouts to beat them!' " the blue parrot said. Shuke was truly shocked by his family's bad reputation and felt extremely wronged. Why was he born a mouse? Shuke cried. P2-3