In class world building from week 2

There wasn’t enough to sustain me because it is a town made by and for mice. The fact that they let me stay to eat alone was shocking. They served fifteen different types of cheeses (five of which unknown to our world because we simply do not have the animals from which it came) on platters of old tree bark. The only available drink was water in the form of drops. Seeing that I did not want to eat their entire food rations and their serving size was fit for mice (barley a crumb by human standards), I was lucky enough to find the tree by the edge produced apples that would sustain me.

            As I mentioned/noticed, upon looking into the vines and pumpkins, everything was beautifully furbished for a mouse, therefor I ate outside as they circled and sat at my feet. Everything constructed by found items. The tables and chairs being twigs tied together with string or grass, plates made from acorn tops and bowls/cups from acorn bottoms, beds of elevated feathers, rooms carved out of the buildings with pumpkin and vine walls. There are no utensils of any kind to eat with, nor are there any knives to be seen. 

Table talk:

‘Squeak, crunching more squeaking, talking about a new pumpkin growing, how a bird almost found them, squeak, how some left and went too far, squeak, how Jack stopped by to talk about how things are, squeak, footsteps passing over, narrowly escaping under a foot, how someone was almost caught by a bird.”

Something specific that you pass:

As I passed the castle of the tin woodsman, I noticed some stones and I thought I saw one move. I decided to ignore it and keep going if I wanted to see the Emerald City in time. But as I moved past it, I thought I herd a grumbling sound. I stopped to look again and could have sworn that I saw it move. I turned to act like I was going, but turned back around fast enough to see what was going on. As I did this, I noticed that there was a man who’s back looked identical to the rocks that were there, but the front was pink. I don’t mean flesh pink, I mean pinker than normal.

            “OH” he said trying to lie back down and blend in, but I had already saw him and he knew it. “Well you found me out. You know most people here ignore my sounds and keep walking. NO time and no consideration, Nope.” I stare at him and agree.

            “Why are you doing this…this try to get attention and blend in again? If you want people to see you, just stand up and say something.” I say

            “If I wanted people to see me I would!” He exclaimed, “But I want people to want to see me. What’s my talking worth to them if they don’t want to hear it in the first place?” And while I think that’s a funny way of going about doing something, I suppose in Oz that works fine.

            “So what do I want to hear then?” I ask as I sit on what I think to be a stone, but as he moves, turn out to be his feet. To my surprise, what I thought just looked like rock, actually felt like rock. It was cold and rough to the touch, just as the others.

            “Ah you are and interesting one. Well, the only thing I have to tell is to be careful while walking through Jack Pumpkinhead’s pumpkin patch. Things aren’t always as they seem,”

            “But isn’t that just Oz?” I ask

            “Well, yes,” he admits, “but you should pay special attention…to the area by your feet. It’s just at the edge right before the large apple tree just before you think you are nearing the Emerald City, look down and stand still, and they will reveal themselves to you” I nod, thank him and keep moving.

Politics:

 After hearing Ramskes’ tale, more mice join around. Some of them in dark, jewel tones while others appear to be in burlap. I look to Ramskes and ask,

            “Are you the leader?” He chuckles as says,

            “My dear, seeing that mice are the cleverest animals, do you think that we really care who is in charge and who is not?”

            “Well, how do you get anything important done?” I ask

            “You see, we mice all know that we are all important to each other. If one of us doesn’t help, the whole colony is harmed. We do not need the fighting of who is best out of all of us because we would spend way too much time fighting over who is more important than the rest and we are open to being taken. No, there is no need. We dress how we want and we are all leaders at one point. We know we are the cleverest animals and therefore have nothing to prove. This is also the reason why the foxes hunt us and everyone else is threatened by us. They want to be the best; we do not want because we know, and therefore we are. Simple as that.”

Magic:

            I did not really notice or see any magic being used by these humble yet imposing creatures. I assumed that they would have some kind of magic, being in this land, and then I realized how many people go about their days walking over or near this small town, but never seeing or harming them. I ask this of Ramskes, who nods and replies,

            “Yes, you are truly seeing. You must be part mouse. You are right in assuming that everyone in this land has some kind of magic, but have you ever noticed that sometimes you loose things? You put things down and for a second you look away and it’s gone? That is how we collect our magic. We are scavengers and collect the things people put down. We hold a hiding stone that we have buried under the heart of our town so that so one sees us, but, if someone like you happens to find us and we feel threatened, we do have a vile of magical powders. Again, as people walk by, sometimes the magic rubbed on them falls off. Magic does not stick forever and we collect the fallen magic. We mix it as we see fit and then use our own concoction on those who have found us. We either erase this place from their minds or turn them into one of us.”

            “But if there is no leader, who does this?” I ask

            “We all know when outers come and find us. Normally I am the one to handle the magic powder for I have been around the longest and see how it works. If not I, then whoever is brave enough to venture out first to speak to the person has the burden of handling their outcome.” Rmskes replies.

Tradition:

Every week, there is a day of rest and relaxation, but most importantly, time spent with each other.  They take a day where families gather together and spend the day together. They don’t talk or visit friends, but spend the day with parents, children and grandparents. If someone does not have a full family, like Ramskes for example, they gather together in a day of reflection with each other.