If you’ve been around comprehension-based teaching for a while, you’ve probably heard the name Susie Gross. She is one of the "godmothers" of TPRS®: a teacher, coach, and trainer who shaped the way hundreds (maybe thousands) of us teach. Many of the “big ideas” that circulate in TPRS/CI/ADI circles today—like coaching, the 3-ring circus, and more—can be traced back to her influence. One favorite tool she shared was how she approached Back to School Night with a simple, funny story about a bilingual mouse.
Over the years, countless teachers have borrowed and adapted Susie’s mouse story. (Michele Whaley has blogged about it quite extensively!) The details may vary a little, but the message is always the same: multilingualism is an asset.
Why I’m Sharing It Here
I often recommend that teachers use this story for Back to School night, or just as a fun story in class. It’s short, funny, and incredibly effective at showing families why language learning matters. The story lived on Susie's blog for many years, but the site is no longer active. For that reason, the story (and how to use it) has become impossible to find. Teachers keep asking for it, and many want to keep using it in their own classrooms and community events. That’s why I’m sharing this simple classroom retelling here: to make sure the story remains accessible as a tool for teachers... but there's one additional little twist I need to share before I get to the story itself!
About the Origins
I have always know this story as “the Susie Gross mouse story.” After Susie's blog links became inactive, I searched for another source I could direct people to. In doing so, I discovered that storyteller and author Antonio Sacre published a picture book in 2003 called The Barking Mouse, which he describes as a Cuban folktale he grew up hearing from his grandmother. The story is not widely available online outside of references to his book. For that reason, I believe it is a fair assumption that the reason this story is known is because of Mr. Sacre.
Folktales, Public Domain, and Responsibility
Because folktales are passed down orally, they are generally considered part of the public domain. That means no single person or entity owns the rights to the idea of the story. Anyone can retell it.
However, just because anyone can retell a story doesn’t mean it’s appropriate to use it however we want. A folktale often carries cultural, spiritual, or communal significance. A random person profiting off of a community’s heritage, without acknowledgment or sensitivity, can be exploitative. This is an idea I have learned thanks to teachers like Adriana Ramirez, Cécile Lainé, and Kristi Lentz.
Before deciding to share or adapt a folktale, I have learned that it is worth pausing to ask questions like:
- Do I know where this folktale comes from, and am I acknowledging its roots?
- Am I retelling the story in a way that honors its meaning and cultural background?
- Am I sharing this for education and community-building, or am I commercializing someone else’s tradition?
- Am I presenting this tale as if it is “mine,” or am I crediting the communities and storytellers who carried it forward?
- Could my use of the story unintentionally reinforce stereotypes, trivialize cultural beliefs, or erase the voices of those most connected to it?
This retelling is my own simple classroom version, created for teachers to use at Back to School Night. I am sharing it on the blog, behind no paywall or other form of commercialization (such as requiring teacher to subscribe in order to access it). I have purchased Mr. Sacre's book to ensure my version is not the same as his, and I have reached out to Mr. Sacre multiple times to ask permission to post my classroom retelling for teachers. I have not yet received a response. Because the story is attributed in many places as a Cuban folktale, I believe that sharing this simple, educational retelling constitutes fair use. That said, I want to be clear: if Antonio Sacre responds with a request that I modify how—or if—I share this version, I will honor that.
If you do end up using this story with your students, consider purchasing the book from Mr. Sacre for your classroom or public library!
The Story
SPANISH VERSION
La hija mayor se llama Lola. Un día, Lola ve a un gato. El gato ve a Lola. Lola tiene miedo. Lola dice: «¡Hiiic! ¡Hiiic!». El gato no tiene miedo. El gato tiene hambre. El gato dice: «Adiós, ratón». Se come a Lola.
El hijo mediano se llama Pepe. Un día, Pepe ve a un gato. El gato ve a Pepe. Pepe tiene miedo. Pepe dice: «¡Hiiic! ¡Hiiic!». El gato no tiene miedo. El gato tiene hambre. El gato dice: «Adiós, ratón». El gato se come a Pepe.
El hijo menor se llama Miguelito. Un día, Miguelito ve a un gato. El gato ve a Miguelito. Miguelito tiene miedo. Miguelito no dice: «¡Hiiic! ¡Hiiic!». Miguelito dice: «¡Guau! ¡Guau!». ¡El gato tiene miedo! El gato no se come a Miguelito.
¡Es muy importante hablar otros idiomas!
ENGLISH VERSION
There is a family of mice. There is a mama mouse, a papa mouse, and three mouse children.
The oldest child is named Lola. One day, Lola sees a cat. The cat sees Lola. Lola is scared. Lola says: “Hic! Hic!” The cat is not scared. The cat is hungry. The cat says: “Goodbye, mouse.” It eats Lola.
The middle son is named Pepe. One day, Pepe sees a cat. The cat sees Pepe. Pepe is scared. Pepe says: “Hic! Hic!” The cat is not scared. The cat is hungry. The cat says: “Goodbye, mouse.” The cat eats Pepe.
The youngest son is named Miguelito. One day, Miguelito sees a cat. The cat sees Miguelito. Miguelito is scared. Miguelito doesn’t say: “Hic! Hic!” Miguelito says: “Woof! Woof!” The cat is scared! The cat does not eat Miguelito.
It is important to speak other languages!
How to Use This Story at Back to School Night
This story works beautifully with parents, whether you teach it in English, the target language, or a mix of both. Here are a few ideas for implementation:
Option 1: Tell the story in English during Parent Night. This is valuable because it shows the value of speaking languages, gives you a chance to show your storytelling approach, and it’s memorable.
Option 2: Tell the story in class in your target language. Then, ask students to “teach” the vocabulary to their parents before Parent Night. At the event, retell the story; maybe saving the twist ending for the live audience!
Option 3: Tell the story in the target language during Parent Night and then reflect with parents about comprehension. How much did they understand, even without translation? Use this moment to explain that the goal in your class is for students to understand everything, because that’s what allows their brains to process and acquire the language.
Or, tell it anytime!
Not interested in using it for Back to School Night? No problem--you can use it anytime! Just tell it to your students, possibly drawing illustrations on the board as you go. Use techniques like asking processing questions, establishing meaning for unfamiliar words, pausing and pointing, and checking for comprehension to ensure students understand and are processing the language you're using.
