Jimmy Mouse and the Chinese New Year
Hello hello and welcome to Storynory. You’re listening to Jana and I’m back with our first story of the New Year 2025! I had a very good Christmas with family and friends and I hope you did too!
I can tell you that the mice at the sea-side cafe had a very nibblesome Christmas. They stuffed themselves with leftovers from the bin in the kitchen including Brussel sprouts, Christmas pudding and roast potatoes. Nothing goes to waste in a cafe when you have a family of mice living under the floorboards! UGH! Perish the thought.
But the pickings in January are not so rich. Most of the humans have had enough of celebrating and overeating and would just like to spend the evenings indoors with hot cocoa and a hot water bottle, especially as heating is so expensive these days.
“When’s the next party?” Asked Henry Mouse, just a week after New Year.
“You don’t have to wait long, Henry,” Judith Mouse told him. “The Chinese will be celebrating their own New Year soon. “It’s going to be the year of the Dragon!” This part of the story happened at the start of 2024 by the way - but I’ll bring it up to date soon.
“The Year of the Dragon!” Exclaimed Henry. “We’ll all have to hide because dragons are really scary!”
“Not so,” Judith said firmly. “The Chinese believe that dragons bring good luck. That’s why they dress up as dragons, do dragon dances in the street, and make lots of noise banging drums and shouting. They are always very happy when it’s Chinese New Year - whichever animal they are celebrating!”
“But what about food?” asked Henry, his tummy rumbling.
Oh, the food!” Judith sighed dreamily. “Imagine dumplings, noodles, and sweet sesame balls—perfect for mice!”
“Have you ever tried feasting on Chinese food?” asked Henry.
“Sadly no,” replied Judith. “But I’d like to. I’ve heard so much about Chinese food being simply superb.”
“It sounds really, really yummy, I can’t wait for Chinese New Year even if they do have dragons,” said Henry.
That evening, under the floorboards of the seaside café, a grand meeting of the mice commenced. Grandpa Mouse, sitting on an upturned bottle cap, banged a rusty teaspoon to call for silence.
“Now, we all know January isn’t the easiest month for us. The humans aren’t celebrating, the bins are emptier, and frankly, I’m tired of nibbling on cold Brussels sprouts.”
A wave of squeaks swept through the crowd. “Eeek, eek!” replied the mice, which, as everyone knows, is how mice say, “Hear, hear!”
“Judith told me it will soon be Chinese New Year!” piped up Henry Mouse, bouncing on his paws with excitement. “She said there’ll be all sorts of yummy food!”
Grandpa Mouse sighed. “Ah so true, but unfortunately, our café isn’t Chinese. They serve British cuisine like sausage and egg in the morning and toasted tea cakes in the afternoon. Delicious, yes, but lately the customers are fewer, and that new waiter is far too keen on sweeping up and mopping.”
“Shame!” chorused the mice.
“Oh, I know!” shrieked Rodina Mouse suddenly, waving her tail. “I heard some customers say there’s a new Chinese restaurant in the Town Square. They say the food is amazing!”
“Excellent!” declared Grandpa Mouse, his whiskers twitching with newfound determination. “This calls for a mission. And Jimmy, this mission has your name on it. It’s dangerous, requires nerves of steel, and unwavering courage.”
Jimmy gulped. “But Grandpa, I don’t know why you think I’ve got nerves of steel. When I’m frightened, my legs turn to jelly.”
“Then Judith will go with you,” Grandpa continued, ignoring Jimmy’s protests. “ Eight paws—are better than four.”
“I’ll help choose the food!” Judith said eagerly.
“Very good. Now off you go, and remember: if you return with bags of Chinese tuck, we’ll all be jolly grateful.”
Enter the Chinese Restaurant:
Later that night, Jimmy and Judith set out for the Chinese restaurant in the Town Square. The streets were dark and quiet, the glow of red lanterns guiding their way. As they crept closer, a delicious aroma wafted through the air—ginger, garlic, and something sweet and smoky.
When they slipped inside through a crack by the door, the smell hit them full force. It was heavenly. There were steaming trays of dumplings, glistening noodles, and a pot of soup bubbling gently on the stove.
Judith’s nose twitched. “Jimmy, this is paradise, we’ve just got to find where the food is stored.”
But before Jimmy could respond, two shadows loomed over them. Startled, they looked up and saw two sleek Chinese mice staring them down. Their black fur gleamed in the dim light, and their eyes were sharp and scary. One of them spoke in a language Jimmy and Judith didn’t understand.
Judith stepped forward, bowing slightly. “We’re visitors,” she said nervously. “We heard your food is wonderful.”
The second mouse beckoned for them to follow, speaking rapidly in Chinese. They led Jimmy and Judith toward the kitchen, where the smells were even more enticing. There were piles of rice, stacks of dumplings, and rows of glistening roasted duck hanging from the ceiling. Judith’s eyes sparkled with delight.
“They want to show us the kitchen!” she whispered to Jimmy. “I think we’re being treated as honored guests.”
But Jimmy was less convinced. His legs trembled as he muttered, “I don’t know, Judith. They seem… too stern, too quiet. What if they’re Kung Fu mice?”
“Kung Fu mice?” Judith whispered, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah! I heard some kids at the café talking about them once. Chinese mice who are masters of fighting. What if this is a trap?”
Judith hesitated. The two Chinese mice stood waiting, their faces unreadable. Before she could decide, Jimmy bolted.
“Wait!” Judith squeaked, but Jimmy was already halfway back through the crack in the door. She turned to the Chinese mice, bowing again. “I’m so sorry! He’s… just a little shy.”
Judith scurried after Jimmy, her heart sinking. When she finally caught up with him outside, he was panting.
“I told you, Judith! Chinese fighting mice are dangerous. We were lucky to escape.”
Judith frowned. “I think they were just trying to show us their food. But maybe you’re right. Anyway, let's go home before a cat spots us.”
The two of them returned to the café, their mission incomplete. As they squeezed back through the skirting board, Grandpa Mouse was waiting.
“Well, what did you bring us for Chinese new year?”
“Nothing this time,” Judith admitted feeling ashamed.
“Well Jimmy, next time you’d better go on your own. When there’s danger around you don’t want any flim-flamy hangers on.”
“Grandpa, I’ve tried to tell you before, I’m not as brave as you think…”
“Modesty will get you no-where Jimmy, don’t talk yourself down boy.”
Jimmy looked at Judith, embarrassed. “It’s ok,” she said, “We’ll try again next year.
Now the story so far is all a bit out of date. As I speak we are coming to the end of the year of the Dragon. The year of the Snake is on the horizon. I can tell you that over the past 12 months or so, Judith has been intriguing everyone with a mysterious life. She has disappeared every night for at least a couple of hours. What does she do in the evenings one might ask? Some mice think she has a secret boyfriend, but whatever the truth is, it’s a big secret.
Well, here we are again, living with cold, wet and grey English skies. At the end of January 2025 the Year of the Snake is going to begin.
I say “going to” but perhaps you are listening some time in the future, and it’s already the Year of the Snake, or even another Chinese Year. So as I regale this story, the Year of the Snake is in the near future. That’s the mystery of time for you!
Jimmy was hoping that Grandpa Mouse had forgotten all about Chinese food and Chinese New Year, but even though he was very old for a mouse, Grandpa still had a super sharp memory.
“Last year Jimmy, you had a very unusual slip up and let the side down. I hope you’re going to make up for it this year Jimmy and bring us lots of scrumptious Chinese Food to celebrate the New Year!”
“Yes Grandpa, I suppose so.”
“Suppose so? I know so! Now off you go Jimmy, and if you don’t find any Chinese prawn crackers don’t bother coming back!”
The Return to the Chinese Restaurant:
The streets were dark and quiet as Jimmy and Judith approached the Chinese restaurant once more. Red lanterns swayed in the wind, their soft glow painting the snow-dusted pavement with warmth.
“I hope we don’t meet any kung fu mice,” Jimmy muttered as they squeezed through the same crack by the door.
Inside, the smells were even more tantalizing than Jimmy remembered—rich soy sauce, sizzling scallions, and something sweet and tangy wafted through the air. The kitchen gleamed, and the same two Chinese mice from last year appeared almost instantly.
Jimmy froze as the sleek, black-furred mice stared them down, their sharp eyes unreadable.
“ ？” one of the mice asked in a firm voice.
Judith stepped forward, her paws joined together politely. “你好! 新年快乐! 我叫朱迪，这位是吉米。” (Hello! Happy New Year! I’m Judith, and this is Jimmy.)
Jimmy’s jaw dropped. “You… you understand them?”
The Chinese mice exchanged glances before breaking into wide smiles. “欢迎来到我们的餐厅!” (Welcome to our restaurant!)
“如果你们饿了，我们可以带你们去厨房。” (If you are hungry, we can show you the kitchen.)
Judith’s whiskers twitched with excitement. “谢谢! 我们很饿!” (Thank you! We’re very hungry!)
The Chinese mice gestured for them to follow, and this time, Jimmy didn’t protest. They were led to a table piled high with delicacies: steaming baskets of dumplings, bowls of fried rice, glistening noodles, and a tray of sweet and sour chicken wings. The smell was almost overwhelming.
“你们喜欢这些食物吗？” (Do you like the food?) asked one of the mice, watching as Judith and Jimmy nibbled hesitantly at first.
“ It’s absolutely fabulous! Darling!” Judith exclaimed. “最好吃!” (The tastiest!)
Jimmy’s initial nervousness melted away as he stuffed his cheeks with a juicy pork and chive dumpling. “Maybe these mice aren’t Kung Fu masters after all,” he mumbled through a mouthful of food.
The Chinese mice laughed, pushing sesame seed balls toward them.
By the time they left, their little bags were stuffed with enough food for a grand feast. Back under the café’s floorboards, the other mice gasped at the sight.
As the mice gathered to enjoy their feast, Jimmy cornered Judith. “Alright,” he said, “how do you suddenly know Chinese?”
Judith smiled slyly. “Well, for the past year, I’ve been sneaking into the human Mandarin classes at the university.”
Jimmy blinked. “You’ve been going to human night school?”
“Yes! I would sit at the back, hiding behind the bookshelves, and listen to the teacher. Humans are very noisy, so no one ever noticed me. I’ve been learning Chinese three nights a week.”
Jimmy’s whiskers twitched in disbelief. “All this time, we thought you had a secret boyfriend!”
Judith chuckled. “Well, now you know the truth, little mouse. And wasn’t it worth it? Look at this feast!”
Jimmy nodded impressed.
Judith smiled. “Happy New Year, Jimmy. Or should I say, 新年快乐!” (Happy New Year!)
And that was the story of Jimmy’s Chinese New Year! The last year of the snake was 2013 so you might very well know a snake or even be one yourself!
People who are born in the Year of the Snake are often the quiet types. But don’t be fooled.
They’re clever, calm, and have a way of figuring things out without making a big fuss. You may not always know what they’re thinking, but when they do speak up, it’s usually something smart or funny.
The Lunar New Year isn’t just celebrated in China but all over the world especially South East Asia. So wherever you are in the world
I hope you have a very healthy and prosperous Year of the Snake!
From me Jana at Storynory.com, see you next time!
Happy Lunar New Year!
Simplified Chinese characters, along with their English translations:
What are your names?
Pinyin: Nǐmen jiào shénme míngzi?
Simplified: 你们叫什么名字？
If you are hungry, we can show you the kitchen.
Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐmen è le, wǒmen kěyǐ dài nǐmen qù chúfáng.
Simplified: 如果你们饿了，我们可以带你们去厨房。
Welcome to our restaurant.
Pinyin: Huānyíng lái dào wǒmen de cāntīng.
Simplified: 欢迎来到我们的餐厅。
Happy New Year!
Pinyin: Xīnnián kuàilè!
Simplified: 新年快乐！
Do you like the food?
Pinyin: Nǐmen xǐhuan zhèxiē shíwù ma?
Simplified: 你们喜欢这些食物吗？
Would you like some more dumplings?
Pinyin: Nǐmen xiǎng zài chī xiē jiǎozi ma?
Simplified: 你们想再吃些饺子吗？
Thank you for visiting.
Pinyin: Xièxiè guānglín.
Simplified: 谢谢光临。
“你好! 新年快乐!” (Hello! Happy New Year!