It truly stuns the mind that the prolific Eugene Field (1850-1895) who is basically known as a writer of humor and children's poetry would turn out a child's morality story so dark and grim that today it would be viewed as literary child abuse.
This is Victorian gothic children's literature at its worst with death and sadness laid on with a trowel. Good children (mice) get to dance in the moonbeams (even if all the moonbeam talks about is death and depression and sounding as if its in the last stages of senility) and bad little children (mice) die horribly at the claws of a cat, especially if they don't believe in Santa Claus.
If you have gothic tendencies and like to read by moonlight with a glass of absinthe at hand while you ponder all things dismal and tragic, then this story will be your version of heaven.
Recent comments: User reviews
This is Victorian gothic children's literature at its worst with death and sadness laid on with a trowel. Good children (mice) get to dance in the moonbeams (even if all the moonbeam talks about is death and depression and sounding as if its in the last stages of senility) and bad little children (mice) die horribly at the claws of a cat, especially if they don't believe in Santa Claus.
If you have gothic tendencies and like to read by moonlight with a glass of absinthe at hand while you ponder all things dismal and tragic, then this story will be your version of heaven.
Just remember to be good or the cat will get you.
Or something far, far worse.