Maggie the Mouse Learns Accidents Happen
By Bill Conley – America’s Favorite
Children’s Storyteller
Moral
of the Story:
Accidents are a part of life, and
every child must understand that mistakes do not make them bad; they simply
make them human. When something spills, breaks, or falls, it does not mean you
are in trouble—it means it is time to learn and to grow.
Parents know that accidents happen, and good parents will not scold or shame
you for something that was not meant to happen. Fear has no place in accidents,
because accidents are not about blame; they are about taking responsibility and
moving forward. Crying or panicking will not fix what went wrong, but a calm
heart and helpful hands can make it better. Cleaning up and saying, “I’ll try
to be more careful next time,” shows maturity, courage, and wisdom. When
children understand that accidents do not define them, they gain the confidence
to keep trying without fear. The lesson of accidents is simple: they happen, we
clean them up, we move on, and we keep living with joy and peace.
In the cozy corner of Cloverfield
Meadow lived a little mouse named Maggie. Maggie was cheerful, kind, and always
eager to help her parents. But Maggie worried about one thing—making mistakes.
She didn’t like it when things went wrong, and she was always afraid that if
she spilled or broke something, her parents would be upset.
One sunny morning, Maggie sat at the
breakfast table. Her mother poured her a tall glass of milk, and her father
placed a plate of warm cheese muffins in front of her. Maggie reached for the
glass with her tiny paws, but—oops!—her tail bumped the edge of the cup. The
milk tipped over, spilling across the table and dripping onto the floor.
Maggie’s eyes grew wide. Her
whiskers quivered. “Oh no! I’m so sorry!” she squeaked, her heart racing. She
braced herself, expecting her parents to frown or scold her.
But instead, her mother smiled
gently and handed her a cloth. “It’s all right, Maggie. Accidents happen. Let’s
clean it up together.”
Her father chuckled warmly. “No use
crying over spilled milk, my little one. Grab a towel and help us wipe.”
Maggie blinked in surprise. “You’re…
not mad?”
“Of course not,” her mother said
softly. “You didn’t spill it on purpose. It was an accident. And accidents can
always be cleaned.”
Maggie’s heart calmed as she helped
wipe the table. She realized that her parents were right. The spill was not the
end of the world—it was just milk on a table, nothing more.
Later that day, Maggie played
outside with her friends. As they raced across the meadow, Maggie tripped on a
pebble and tumbled into a basket of berries. The berries scattered everywhere,
rolling in all directions. Maggie’s ears drooped. “Oh no! I ruined everything!”
Her friend Benny the Bunny hopped
over and laughed. “Maggie, accidents happen! We can pick them up.” Together,
they gathered the berries, brushed off the dust, and placed them back in the
basket. Soon, everything was fine again.
That evening, Maggie shared what
happened with her parents. Papa Mouse nodded. “You see, accidents don’t mean
you are bad, and they don’t mean you are clumsy. They just happen. What matters
is how you respond. Do you get scared and hide, or do you stay calm and fix
it?”
Maggie thought for a moment. “I
guess if I clean it up and say sorry, then everything is okay.”
“That’s right,” Mama Mouse said
kindly. “And remember, we love you no matter what. Spilled milk, broken plates,
messy floors—we love you through it all.”
The next morning, Maggie felt
braver. When she accidentally knocked over a stack of books while playing, she
didn’t panic. She simply stacked them back up and whispered, “Accidents
happen.”
And for the first time, Maggie
understood that life wasn’t about never making mistakes—it was about learning
how to handle them with courage and peace.
Moral
of the Story Poem:
A spill on the table, a mess on the
floor,
Accidents happen—that’s what life’s for.
No reason for fear, no need for alarm,
Just clean it up gently, no fuss and no harm.
Mistakes are just lessons; they help us to grow,
They’re part of our journey, more than we know.
So don’t be afraid when things go astray,
Accidents happen, and that’s quite okay.
Discussion
Questions
1.
Why was Maggie afraid when she
spilled the milk, and how did her parents help her feel better?
2.
What is the right thing to do when
an accident happens?
3.
How can you remind yourself not to
be scared the next time something goes wrong?
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