Perez the Mouse

In Short

Written originally to comfort Spain's child-king Alfonso XIII upon losing his first tooth, this translated fairy tale tells of six-year-old King Bubi the First. Guided by Perez the Mouse—a polite, spectacled rodent living in a biscuit tin behind a cheese pile—the king shrinks down and journeys through the dark hazards of his capital, including a sleeping cat named Don Pedro. Visiting the freezing attic of a poor boy named Giles, the young monarch experiences poverty firsthand, learning a enduring lesson about his royal obligation to serve as a protective older brother to every child in his realm.

The Story

Six-year-old King Bubi the First reigns over a realm where he makes wise laws to protect mice and build toy factories for children. When his first tooth begins to wobble, the Court doctors gather in a panic, eventually pulling the pearl-white tooth with a piece of red silk. Following his clever mother’s instruction, Bubi writes a polite letter and places it alongside the tooth under his pillow for Perez the Mouse, a legendary creature who always collects lost teeth and leaves a gift in return. Determined to meet the mythical visitor, Bubi stays awake in bed.

Late at night, a soft tickle on his forehead reveals Perez: a tiny mouse wearing a straw hat, slippers, gold spectacles, and carrying a red satchel. After exchanging formal courtesies, the two become fast friends, discussing Perez's home in a biscuit tin, his family, and his rodent travels. Perez explains that he must make a dangerous trek to deliver a gold coin to Giles, a destitute boy living nearby. Fascinated and eager to join, Bubi accepts Perez’s help. By placing the tip of his tail against the child's nose, Perez makes the King sneeze hard, instantly transforming him into a shiny little mouse with emerald eyes.

The pair scamper down a hidden hole beneath the carpet, traversing dark, sticky paths until they reach the Perez home behind a stack of Gruyère cheese. After meeting Perez’s family, enjoying tea, and hearing recitations, they resume their trek accompanied by an escort of soldier mice wielding needle-bayonets. They slip past the formidable sleeping cat Don Pedro and enter a freezing attic where Giles and his mother sleep on rags beneath a leaking, icy roof.

Deeply shaken by the sight of such stark misery, Bubi watches as Giles wakes to pray "Our Father" with his mother. Realizing that the poorest children share the exact same Father as a king, Bubi realizes they are all brothers. Upon returning to his palace and transforming back into a boy, Bubi discovers a diamond-encrusted Order of the Golden Fleece beneath his pillow. Ignoring the costly trinket, he asks his mother about his discovery. She confirms that a king is simply an eldest brother charged with ensuring his younger siblings lack nothing. Bubi carries this compassionate lesson throughout his long life, growing into a righteous ruler who earns the love of all his people.

How It Unfolds

A royal tooth comes loose When six-year-old King Bubi loses his first tooth, the Court doctors pull it out with a piece of red silk. His mother instructs him to write a polite letter to Perez the Mouse and tuck it under his pillow with the tooth before going to sleep.

Meeting the legendary rodent Bubi stays awake until a tiny mouse in a straw hat, slippers, and gold spectacles appears on his pillow. The two trade courteous greetings, quickly becoming friends as Perez describes his family life and his secret travels through the city.

A miraculous transformation Desiring to see Perez’s house and accompany him on a visit to a poor boy named Giles, Bubi agrees to a magical trick. Perez touches his tail to the King's nose, causing a hard sneeze that transforms the boy into a tiny, emerald-eyed mouse.

Visiting the Perez household The duo navigate hidden subterranean paths to reach a Huntley and Palmer biscuit tin nestled behind a pile of Gruyère cheese. There, the King meets Perez's wife, children, and governess, enjoying tea, music, and conversation with the family.

Braving the city hazards Escorted by two armed regiments of soldier mice with needle bayonets, Bubi and Perez sneak past the deadly sleeping cat Don Pedro. They dash through a quiet kitchen and head up to the freezing attic room where Giles lives.

A awakening to poverty Inside the dilapidated attic, Bubi sees Giles sleeping on rags and crying from the cold air streaming through the cracked roof. When Giles wakes and prays "Our Father" with his mother, Bubi realizes that poor children share the same heavenly Father as royalty.

The monarch's lifelong vow Returned safely to his bed and human form, Bubi leaves his new diamond present untouched to ask his mother about brotherhood. Learning that his kingship means caring for his poorer brothers, he vows to govern selflessly for the rest of his days.

The People

• King Bubi the First: A six-year-old monarch who begins his tale as a pampered, innocent boy living in luxury, untouched by the realities outside his palace. Through his transformation and journey, his desire for adventure turns into deep empathy, fundamentally changing how he understands his royal duties.
• Perez the Mouse: A polite, well-mannered rodent who travels through city drains and libraries while collecting teeth in exchange for presents. He acts as a wise guide, protecting the young monarch through city dangers and quietly opening his eyes to the suffering of poor children.
• The Queen Mother: A wise and clever ruler who guides her young son like a guardian angel. She values old customs and provides Bubi with the vital spiritual framing he needs to understand his journey, teaching him that royalty means serving as an elder brother to his subjects.
• Giles: A destitute young boy living in a drafty attic with his washing-woman mother. Though he speaks only in prayer, his impoverished condition and devotion serve as the catalyst for the king's profound moral awakening.
• The Perez Family: Comprising Mrs. Mouse, daughters Adelaide and Elvira, son Adolphus, and governess Miss Stilton. They represent a bustling, respectable middle-class home life inside their biscuit-tin residence.

In Its Own Voice

"The King sneezed very hard and turned into the most darling little mouse you ever saw."

This sudden magic occurs when Perez touches his tail to the young monarch's nose, allowing the boy to step down into the hidden rodent world beneath his palace.

"Adelaide and Elvira made tea and poured out some into lovely wee cups made out of the skins of white beans."

Inside the Perez family's biscuit-tin home, the royal guest is treated to quaint rodent hospitality before setting off into the city's dangerous streets.

"Mama! Why do poor children say the same prayer as I do, 'Our Father which art in Heaven'?"

Upon returning home, the transformed King asks his mother the central question sparked by seeing little Giles pray in his freezing attic.

What It's Really About

Beneath its charming fairy-tale surface, the narrative is an explicit parable about social responsibility, Christian charity, and the moral obligations of privilege. By physically lowering a wealthy monarch to the size and perspective of a humble mouse, the story strips away royal grandeur to expose the shared humanity connecting the highest king to the poorest beggar. The plot directly challenges class insularity, asserting that wealth and authority are not badges of inherent superiority, but rather heavy trusts granted by God. True leadership is redefined not as absolute rule or self-indulgence, but as active stewardship and protective brotherhood toward those who have nothing.

Why Read It Today

This short classic appeals to young readers, parents, and lovers of classic folklore who appreciate imaginative world-building paired with a gentle moral heart. Reading it feels like stepping inside a warm nineteenth-century picture book: charmingly detailed, cozy, yet grounded by a surprisingly sharp social conscience. The story balances whimsical domestic touches—such as mice sipping tea from white-bean cups—with tense encounters like dodging the dangerous cat Don Pedro.

Modern readers will easily navigate the text, though its period attitudes and explicit religious frame reflect its era and original purpose as a courtly pedagogical tale. Its brevity and clear language keep it completely accessible, avoiding dense or archaic dialects. What lingers after finishing is the lingering sweetness of the Tooth Fairy myth intertwined with a timeless message of empathy, reminding us that genuine nobility lies in how tenderly we care for the vulnerable around us.