Free Bless this Mouse by Lois Lowry Page B

and thought for a moment about the question. Then he said, "Someone who is especially blessed."
    They were all silent for a moment. The music had stopped. They could hear Father Murphy say a few words about the Youth Group, about a special choir rehearsal, about a potluck supper. Then he announced loudly, "If the sexton would please open the doors now? Let the Blessing of the Animals begin!"
    The doors of the church opened, and a small boy wearing a yellow slicker entered, carrying a wiggling puppy. Grinning broadly, he walked down the aisle. Father Murphy began:
"
Heavenly Father, we give thanks

for the creatures of Thy creation,

each unique and wonderful...
"
    The little boy reached the chancel steps, where Father Murphy was standing. The container of holy oil was beside him on a small table. He dipped his fingers into it. The priest touched the head of the puppy, smiled when it tried to lick his fingers, and murmured, "Bless this pet." Then he went on:
"
...for enormous ones like the elephant

and hippo,

those that are humped like the camel,

or horned like the rhino...
"
    "That's just downright silly," Hildegarde whispered.
    "Bless this pet," Father Murphy murmured, touching a bunny held up by a little girl.
    "No camels here! No rhinoceros!" Hildegarde said. "What on earth is he talking about?"
    "Shhh," Ignatious cautioned her.
"
...for funny monkeys, furry bunnies,

friendly dogs and cats...
"
    "Friendly? Cat? That's outrageous!" Hildegarde could barely contain herself.
    But Father Murphy had now said "Bless this pet" to several cats as well as a large three-legged dog, and next was a parrot in a cage entwined with flowers. One by one the owners with their animals, each decorated with ribbons or flowers for the occasion, approached him.
"
...for timid birds, sleek golden fish, for the

lowly turtle and the majestic horse...
"
    "No horse in sight," Roderick said.
    "Pony coming, though," Ignatious pointed out.
    Indeed, a young girl led a pony with a braided mane down the aisle. The pony actually seemed to bow its head as Father Murphy touched it gently and murmured his blessing.
"...
for jungle beasts like the lion and

leopard
..."

    Hildegarde snorted. Lion and leopard? The idiocy!
    More cats. Many more cats.
"
... for the awkward giraffe and the

curious fawn...
"
    Next, a turtle—there seemed to be a turtle every year. Then yet another cat, followed by a Dalmatian with a flower tucked into its collar.
    And more cats still. The procession moved forward slowly.
    "I cannot stand this another minute! Follow me!" Hildegarde suddenly ordered her two friends. She turned and scurried out the back door of the sacristy then into the wall and down the tangle of wires into the basement.

    Ignatious and Roderick hurried along behind her, puzzled. She jumped up to the breaker panel and reached behind it into her cache of treasured things. "Here!" she said to Ignatious and Roderick, who were waiting on the floor, looking up at her. She nudged the contents of the little collection and the things fell down to them. Hildegarde jumped down and stood upright on her hind paws. She said, "Decorate me."
    "What?" Roderick said in astonishment.
    "
Timid birds and sleek golden fish?
Excuse me? And no mice? They thought they could get away with ignoring mice? There's going to be a mouse in this ceremony! And I'm it!"
    "But there are cats!" Roderick said nervously. "Many, many cats."
    "I'll risk it. It isn't fair that he doesn't bless a mouse! I'll risk it on behalf of all of us!
    "Saints do this kind of thing all the time," she added gently, as an explanation.
    Ignatious had pawed though the little pile of her collected treasures. He picked up a green gumdrop and placed it carefully on Hildegarde's head.
    "Tie it down," she commanded.
    "Oh, dear," said Roderick. "How?" He picked up the red satin ribbon that had once been a bookmark in the Book of Common Prayer, and tossed it over the gumdrop so that both ends fell to the sides of her face,