# The Story of Miss Moppet explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Beatrix Potter.

## What happens

Miss Moppet, a kitten, tries to catch a mouse that is teasing her. She misses, hits her head, and pretends to be ill to lure the mouse closer. She catches him and ties him in a duster, but the mouse escapes through a hole and dances on the cupboard.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hospitality and Deception

Miss Moppet feigns illness to deceive the mouse, turning the domestic setting into a trap.

## Character check-ins

### Miss Moppet

The kitten who tries to catch and tease the mouse.

### The Mouse

The mouse that teases Miss Moppet and escapes.

## Key lines

> Miss Moppet jumps upon the Mouse! And because the Mouse has teased Miss Moppet—Miss Moppet thinks she will tease the Mouse; which is not at all nice of Miss Moppet.

Miss Moppet catches the mouse and decides to tease him in return, which the narrator notes is unkind.

_Highlights the theme of retaliation and deception._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_7_se/chapters/the-story-of-miss-moppet
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_7_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_7_se/chapters