This is Ria. Welcome to Little Stories for Tiny People. Have you ever wondered what it might be like to live inside a pumpkin? Of course you have. Now you can find out. Our story today is about a family

of dormice who live in a pumpkin. Let's hear it. It's called the Dormouse family's

big day. Take it away, Aaliyah and Elim.

Remember, there are no pictures. You have to imagine the pictures in your mind. You can imagine them however you want. Okay, here we go.

The Dormouse family was asleep. All of them, Dormice are champion sleepers. They were all asleep inside their pumpkin when it tipped and began to roll.

Mr. Dormouse twitched awake at the first lurch. Mrs. Dormouse at the second.

Incredibly, the children remained asleep through the first few rolls until little Johnny

toppled out of his bunk and cried,

I think our house is going somewhere.

One by one, the rest of the dormice startled awake.

Ah, what is happening?

My fur is must.

But where are we going?

I'm getting very dizzy.

This went on for several more seconds.

The pumpkin, the dormice, the autumn decorations they'd placed just yesterday, all of it, tumbling and tossing in a frightful blur.

Until, finally, the pumpkin landed with a tremendous plop in the river.

It landed upside down, mind you, and went bobbing along with the gentle current.

Dormice are not as talented at swimming as they are at sleeping,

and there were several long moments of trepidation,

as the family realized the pumpkin was filling with water and would quickly be lost to the

bottom of the river. Then, Mr. Dormouse, coming fully to his senses after the abrupt awakening, remembered his raft.

...