The Parliament of Mice A Fable

On this farm, every creature wants something and is willing to plot and scheme to get it. The house mice enjoy plenty, while the barn mice struggle to survive, terrorized by a fierce cat. One idealistic mouse appeals to the Parliament of Mice, but his quest to bell the cat leads him into grave danger, and exposes the corruption of his miniature society. The cock rules the barn with his proud song, perched high and unwilling to descend. A clever vixen plots to catch him by weaving a web of sympathy through his long-suffering wife, the hen. Meanwhile, a boy escaping the troubles of his own world listens to a mysterious goose he calls Maman, whose stories twist Mother Goose rhymes into dark, cautionary fables. All of these characters, humans and beasts, are rich with desires and aspirations, vanities and foibles. Their intertwined tales, told with vivid imagery, humor, and insight, weave a fable about power, justice, cruelty, and love— culminating in a wild and unforgettable climax that is tragicomic but ultimately hopeful.

Robert Epstein is a professor of English who has published widely on Chaucer and medieval literature. His fiction has appeared in publications including AGNI, Indiana Review, Gargoyle Magazine, Kelsey Review, Alimentum: The Literature of Food, Dogwood Magazine, and SFWP Journal. The Parliament of Mice: A Fable is his first novel.