Alice Mongoose and Alistair Rat's Hawaiian Christmas Read online

  Alice Mongoose

  and

  Alistair Rat's

  Hawaiian

  Christmas

  MARY PFAFF

  Copyright ? 2016 Hawaiian Heritage Press

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN-13: ISBN: 978-1-943476-08-4

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2015959148

  Dedication

  With deep appreciation for kind neighbors.

  Acknowledgements

  Alice Mongoose's recent renaissance may be credited to the efforts of Mary Pfaff's granddaughter, Dorothy Pfaff. A new generation of parents and children have come to appreciate the books' unselfconscious multiculturalism, sensible life lessons, and positive main characters.

  This reissue of the Alice Mongoose stories is faithful to the original printing and in keeping with Dorothy's memories of her grandmother reading to her.

  Also by Mary Pfaff:

  Alice Mongoose and Alistair Rat in Hawaii

  Alice Mongoose and Alistair Rat have a Restaurant

  Alice Mongoose, Alistair Rat, and the Big Sign

  Alice and Alistair's Lunch Shop

  Alice Mongoose lived on the Big Island of Hawaii, in a lovely little house in a cane field on the Hamakua Coast.

  Next to Alice's house was a neat garden. And next to the little garden lived her friend Alistair Rat.

  Alice and Alistair had a tiny lunch shop, called A's Lunch Shop. Everyone liked to eat at A's Lunch Shop, for the tasty food and friendly service.

  A's Lunch Shop had a large, magnificent sign. Because A was the first letter of both Alice's and Alistair's names, the name suited both of them quite well.

  As Alice was a mongoose, she was generally awake during the day, and asleep at night.

  Alistair Rat was the opposite. Rats are lively and wakeful during the night, and prefer to sleep through the daylight hours.

  Every morning, Alice Mongoose and Alistair Rat would meet for breakfast, (or "dinner," to Alistair Rat).

  Then Alice would say good-morning, and walk the short distance across the cane field to the lunch shop by the road, and Alistair would toddle off to bed.

  In the evening, Alistair would wake up, and he and Alice would share a meal of eggs with a nice cup of tea. Then Alice would retire to her little house for a good night's sleep, and Alistair would take over the lunch shop.

 

  Alistair would serve the neighbors who were awake at night.

  Alice enjoyed running the lunch shop, and serving the hungry neighbors that stopped by.

  The Barnswallow family, Helen and Trevor Moa and their brood of fuzzy little chicks, and Pennie Pueo the owl all liked to visit A's Lunch Shop during the day. Alice's best customers were the Pua`a Twins, two quiet pigs who ordered triple portions of the daily special and snuffled everything up happily.

  Alice Starts her Day at the Lunch Shop

  One morning in December, Alice went out to prepare for the day as usual. Musubis, or rice-balls, were one of the most popular menu items. Alice pulled out the big rice pot and started a big batch of rice. Then, because the morning was slightly chilly, she decided to make hot miso soup. First, Alice simmered dried kelp in water until it was plump and slimy. Then she turned down the heat and added flakes of katsuo-bushi, which is fermented tuna.

  Finally, she strained out the broth and gently whisked in the miso, which is a paste of rice and soybeans.

  She cut up some bean curd to use as garnish, along with some chopped onion and carefully-scrubbed pillbugs. Even the smell of the delicious food did not lift her spirits. In a few days it would be Christmas. This would be her first Christmas away from home.

  Alice's Neighbors Have Christmas Plans

  At that moment, Betty Barnswallow hopped up to the counter.

  Alice tried not to think about feeling lonely. She had to be cheerful for her customers. No one wants to visit a Lunch Shop with a grouchy mongoose behind the counter!

  "Good morning, Betty," Alice said. "You seem to be in a hurry."

  "We are so busy preparing for the holidays," Betty said, quite out of breath. "Barry and the children are at home, and they are already preparing for our big Christmas meal. All of the Barnswallow family from around the island will come to share dinner with us. They will come from as far north as Hawi, and as far south as Ka'u.

  "The children are building a big Christmas star. It will be red, and decorated with gold tinsel. We call it a parol.

  There are so many things to do! I am happy that we can come to A's Lunch Shop and get a nice bag of musubis for our family. Sometimes it is too tiring to cook an entire meal!"

  "You and your family will have a lovely celebration," Alice said wistfully, as she packed up Betty's order of musubis. "My family will be having a big Christmas party too."

  But I will not be there with them, Alice thought sadly as Betty Barnswallow hopped off with her parcel. My family is far away.

  As soon as Betty was out of sight, Alice's good customers Helen and Trevor came flapping and fluttering up to the window with their brood of chicks scurrying after them.

  "It is a good day for hot soup," Helen declared.

  "Do you have hot soup today?" Trevor asked.

  "Yes we do, Alice said. "We have a nice miso soup."

  "Miso soup!" peeped the little ones. "With extra pillbugs!"

  "But no onions, please," Helen added.

  Alice dished out a hot, steamy bowl of soup for Helen, Trevor, and each of their little fuzzy chicks.

  "We will be traveling soon," Helen said.

  "We are visiting family in Honaunau for the holidays," Trevor added.

  "Will you be gone long?" Alice asked.

  "We will be back after the New Year," Helen said. "There will be so many of us, all together! I am afraid it will be quite crowded, and we will all begin to get on one another's nerves."

  "But that is not important," Trevor added, "because we are all family."

  This will be my first Christmas without my family," Alice said sadly.

  Helen cocked her head and peered at Alice.

  "Does your family in India celebrate Christmas?" Helen asked.

  "Oh, yes!" Alice replied. "My family loves Christmas."

  "How does your family observe Christmas?" Trevor inquired.

  "We begin our preparations in late October. We bake sweet treats, and write Christmas cards, and send the sweets and the cards to our relatives and friends all over the world. On Christmas Day there is a big dance, with a great meal of all of our favorite foods. My mother bakes delicious cookies and cakes, and my father makes my favorite dishes especially for me, because he knows how I love them."

  Alice did not mention that her favorite meal was eggs. She did not want to upset Helen and Trevor. The chickens were her friends, and very good customers as well.

  "And then the day after Christmas is Boxing Day," Alice continued. "We make little packets of biscuits and candies, and bring them around to those who are less fortunate. It is all very festive. But this year, I will not be spending Christmas with my family."

  Alice sniffed quickly and smiled at Helen and Trevor and the chicks. She did not wish to make her customers glum.

  "Merry Christmas and happy new year!" she called, and waved, as Helen and Trevor and the chicks bustled and flapped and squawked their way down the road.

  Dinner with Alistair

  Alice sat quietly with Alistair Rat for their customary evening meal.

  "Christmas is coming soon," Alice remarked. She wondered why Alistair hadn't invited her to spend Christmas with him and his family.

&n
bsp; Alice knew that Alistair had many cousins down in Hilo, which was the big port city to the south. Perhaps Alistair did not think that he and Alice were such good friends after all?

  "Yes," Alistair agreed. "Christmas is very soon." Alistair wondered why Alice had not invited him to join her for Christmas.

  Perhaps she thinks I am too dull, Alistair thought. She has probably received invitations to many exciting Christmas parties. She would find it too boring to spend Christmas with a solitary rat.

  I know why Alistair is not inviting me to spend Christmas with him, Alice thought. It is because his cousins do not like me.

  They were at our restaurant opening. As soon as I came to their table, they all ran away.

  In fact Alistair's cousins did not dislike Alice particularly. But rats are generally afraid of mongoose, and with good reason. Not all mongoose are as gentle as Alice.

  Alice and Alistair finished their meal, and Alistair made tea.

  Although the tea was hot and strong, the room seemed chilly. When they had washed up, Alice went to bed, and Alistair scurried over to take his shift at the lunch shop.

  Alistair Takes the Night Shift

  Alistair Rat's first customer of the evening was Kealoha, a tiny hoary bat.

  Kealoha was even more nearsighted than Alistair, but he had excellent hearing.

  Kealoha could detect sadness in Alistair's voice. He hopped up onto the counter so that he could address Alistair face to face. "Alistair," squeaked Kealoha, "Why do you sound so sad?"

  "Christmas is coming soon, and I will be spending it alone. I never minded before, but now my friend Alice Mongoose lives next door, and she does not want to spend Christmas with me. She thinks I am dull and boring."

  "That is surprising to me," Kealoha replied. "You and Alice Mongoose are good friends. Did your good friend Alice really tell you that you are too dull and boring?"

  "Not exactly," Alistair confessed. "But I imagine Alice Mongoose has many exciting Christmas invitations. She does not want to spend a quiet Christmas with a solitary rat like me."

  "You are not celebrating with your cousins down in Hilo?" Kealoha asked.

  "Oh, no, that's much too far." Alistair thoughtfully removed his monocle and polished it. "And perhaps it is not my place to say, but sometimes I find my cousins a bit frivolous."

  "I think you should invite Alice to spend Christmas with you," Kealoha Bat said. "Alice is your good friend."

  "No," Alistair sighed sadly. "I do not want to be pushy. If I ask her and she says no, we will both be very embarrassed."

  "Well, here is Cordelia Canetoad," Kealoha said.

  "We will ask her what she thinks."

  Cordelia Canetoad was a very outspoken toad, with many opinions. She had an opinion about Alistair's situation.

  Cordelia's opinion was that Alistair was being silly, and he should invite Alice to spend Christmas with him.

  "But my dear Cordelia," Alistair said, "I am sure that Alice has many other invitations."

  "Did you ask her to spend Christmas with you?" Cordelia asked.

  "Did you?" Kealoha squeaked in agreement.

  "How could I ask her to share my solitary, uninteresting Christmas Eve with me?"

  "Oh, nonsense. I shall have a word with Alice." Cordelia set off across the cane field to Alice's little house. She knocked briskly on Alice's door.

  After a while, Alice answered the door.

  "I am Cordelia Canetoad," announced Cordelia Canetoad.

  "How do you do," Alice said, for she remembered her manners, although she was quite sleepy. "Alistair speaks highly of you. Would you like to come in?"

  "No, that will not be necessary," declared Cordelia Canetoad. "I am in a bit of a hurry, but I have decided to give you some excellent advice. I think you should ask Alistair Rat to spend Christmas with you. That way, neither of you will be lonely. And he is your good friend."

  "I do not want to be pushy," Alice said. "If I ask him and he says no, we will both be very embarrassed."

  "As long as you are determined to sleep the entire night away, perhaps you should sleep on it," Cordelia said. "Sometimes it is a good idea to let your dreams speak to you before you make an important decision."

  Alice thanked Cordelia Canetoad for her excellent advice, and hurried back to bed.

  As soon as she fell asleep, Alice began to dream about Christmas.

  She dreamed that she was at a big party, just like the parties her parents would have! There were decorations, and sparkling juice, and food.

  "Why Alistair," Alice said. "Have you tried these lovely canapes? They are exquisite!"

  But Alistair was not there.

  Alice missed Alistair. Alice's dream-party was not any fun without her good friend.

  Alice and Alistair Discuss Christmas Plans

  Next morning, Alice and Alistair were sharing their morning meal.

  They ate quietly. When they were finished, Alistair got up to make them a pot of tea.

  They both started talking at once.

  Then they both stopped talking, each waiting for the other to speak.

  Then they each said something, at the same time.

  Alistair said, "Alice, are you engaged for Christmas?"

  Alice said, "Alistair, I would like to spend Christmas with you, if that is convenient."

  "I was only going to have a quiet Christmas Eve at home," Alistair said. "With a nice cup of tea. And a plate of sugar cookies."

  "I was going to spend Christmas Eve by the fire, with a cheery book," Alice said. "So that I would not think about feeling lonely and missing my parents. But it would be much nicer to spend Christmas with you. I can bring my book over and read to you! We could enjoy the book together."

  Alistair liked the idea of Alice reading to him. He was quite nearsighted, and far too vain to wear spectacles. When he read, he had to hold the book so close that it squashed his nose.

  "That would be quite pleasant," Alistair exclaimed. "I am an excellent reader, of course, but sometimes reading makes my nose hurt. And we can share my delicious sugar cookies!"

  Alice and Alistair's Christmas

  So on Christmas Eve, Alice and Alistair enjoyed their usual evening meal together.

  And afterwards, Alice went over to keep Alistair company. They shared tea and cookies, and then repaired to Alistair's cozy library. Alice thought she heard talking and singing far off in the distance. At first she decided that it was her imagination, but then she heard the music coming closer. Closer still it came, and then there was a sharp rap on Alistair's door.

  Leading the parade of neighbors, relatives, and friends was Cordelia Canetoad.

  The efficient Cordelia Canetoad had decided that it was silly for the neighbors to spend Christmas apart. Cordelia was a very persuasive toad.

  All the daytime neighbors and night time neighbors stayed up well past their bedtimes, and sang Christmas carols (with Cordelia conducting, naturally). They wished one another Merry Christmas over and over, and admired Alistair's Christmas tree, and ate until they were very full.

  About the Author

  Mary Pfaff, acclaimed? as "the Beatrix Potter of Hawaii," was born about 1875 in Brockton, Minnesota. At the age of twenty-two, she married local businessman William Apana. Mary wrote and illustrated the Alice Mongoose stories?to entertain their young daughter Mildred. William arranged to have Mary's delightful sketches and stories?printed as hardcover books.

  With this reissue of the original stories, a new generation of children can enjoy Alice and Alistair's adventures on Hawaii's Hamakua Coast.

  Keep up with Alice and Alistair at alicemongoose.com

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