Frederick
Based on the story by Leo Lionni
Adapted by Nicole Sykes
Materials:
 rectangular underlay;
 green felt strip (grass) for bottom of underlay
 grey felt mountain/hill (for stone wall)
 white felt strips (snow)
 white felt ‘talk’ bubbles with colored pieces
 felt sun
 4 felt mice (3 identical, and one with eyes half-closed (Frederick)
 pieces of wheat/hay
 dried corn
 stones
 basket with direct experience symbol.
Presentation:
Now, watch carefully where I go to get the story so that later, if you wish to make it your
work, you will be able to find it.
(smooth out the underlay, and then pull out the green fabric strip and place it
along the bottom of the underlay.)
I wonder what this could be. It’s so green and lush.
(place the grey felt on the green felt in the right corner. Touch the green as you
begin to speak.)
All along the meadow where the cows grazed and the horses ran, there was an old
stone wall.
(Begin placing the rocks on the grey felt.)
And in that wall, not far from the barn, lived a chatty family of field mice.
(Place the four mice on the stones.)
But the farmers had moved away, the barn was abandoned, and winter was not far off.
So the little mice began gathering corn and nuts and wheat. They worked all day and all
night. All – except for Frederick.
Frederick
Spiritual Theme-Heretic
Source – Direct Experience
1
(Point at Frederick. Add sun to sky. Have mice picking up a kernel of corn and
taking it to the stone wall. Frederick just sits.)
One day, as they were gathering corn, the mice wondered,
‘Frederick, why don’t you work?’
‘I do work,’ said Frederick.
‘I gather sun rays for the cold dark winter days.’
(Have mice picking up nuts and taking it back to the stone wall. Frederick still just
sits.)
‘And now, Frederick?’
‘I gather colors,’ answered Frederick simply. ‘For winter is grey.’
(Have mice picking up pieces of wheat and taking it back to the stone wall.
Frederick remains in his place.)
One time, Frederick seemed half asleep!
‘Are you dreaming, Frederick?’ they asked reproachfully.
Frederick replied, ‘Oh no. I am gathering words. For winter days are long and many, and
we’ll run out of things to say.’
(Add white strips on top of the green meadow. Take sun out of the sky.)
The winter days came, and when the first snow fell the four little field mice took to their
hideout in the stones.
(Move mice to stones.)
In the beginning, there was lots to eat, and the mice told stories of foolish foxes and silly
cats. They were a happy family.
(Begin removing the food until there is nothing left.)
But little by little they had nibbled up all of the corn, the nuts, and the wheat. It was cold
in the wall and no one felt like chatting.
(Pause.)
Then they remembered what Frederick had said about sun rays and colors and words.
‘What about your supplies, Frederick?’ they asked.
(Have Frederick climb up onto the highest stone, like a podium.)
Frederick
Spiritual Theme-Heretic
Source – Direct Experience
2
“Close your eyes,’ said Frederick. ‘Now I send you the rays of the sun. Do you feel how
their golden glow warms your back?’
And as Frederick spoke of the sun, the mice felt a little warmer. Was is Frederick’s
voice? Was it magic?
‘And how about the colors Frederick?’ the mice asked anxiously.
‘Close your eyes again,’ said Frederick. And he told them of the blue periwinkles, and
the red poppies, and the yellow wheat, and the green leaves of the berry bush, and they
saw the colors as clearly as if they had been painted in their minds.
(Place colored thought bubbles above each mouse.)
‘And the words, Frederick?’
Frederick cleared his throat, and waited a moment, and then, as if from a stage, he said:
(place poem in thought bubble near Frederick to help you recite unless you have
it memorized!)
‘Who scatters the snowflakes? Who melts the ice?
Who spoils the weather? Who makes it nice?
Who grows the four leaf clovers in June?
Who dims the daylight? Who lights the moon?
Four little field mice in the sky. Four little field mice like you and I.
One is the Spring mouse, who turns on the showers.
Then comes the Summer who paints in the flowers.
The Fall mouse is next with walnuts and wheat.
And Winter is last….with little cold feet.
Aren’t we lucky the seasons are four?
Think of a year with one less….or one more!’
When Frederick was finished, they all applauded. ‘But Frederick,’ they said, ‘You are a
poet!’
Frederick blushed, took a bow, and said shyly, ‘I know it.’
Wondering Questions

I wonder if you have ever seen or heard any of this before?
Frederick
Spiritual Theme-Heretic
Source – Direct Experience
3

I wonder which part of this story is the most important?

I wonder which part you like the best?

I wonder where you might be in this story?

I wonder…how the other mice were feeling while they were working and
Frederick sat there watching.

I wonder…what would have happened if all the mice were like Frederick?

I wonder…what would have happened if Frederick was just like the other mice?

I wonder…if you were a mouse in the stone wall, what would you be collecting to
prepare for the winter?

I wonder where the Spirit of Love and Mystery might be in this story?
Now watch how I put this story away, so that if you make it your work, you will be able
to get it ready for the next person.
Place each object back into the basket in reverse order, naming them as you go,
and then fold up the underlay and place on the basket before you take the basket
to the shelf.
Now watch where I go to put this basket away so that you will know where it is found in
the classroom.
Place basket on shelf.
Frederick
Spiritual Theme-Heretic
Source – Direct Experience
4
Layout:
Another Layout:
Frederick
Spiritual Theme-Heretic
Source – Direct Experience
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Frederick
Spiritual Theme-Heretic
Source – Direct Experience
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