Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

Mrs. Frisby finally understands why the rats hold her husband in high esteem: He helped them get free from the lab. Nicodemus describes the weeks that followed the escape. It was summertime, and the rats had to re-learn how to live in the wild with their newfound knowledge and among each other. They figured out how to find food in supermarkets by using their ability to read, but they find themselves unable to relate to other rats anymore. Eventually, the rats decided to settle down, at least for a while, and came upon a large house that appeared to be at least temporarily abandoned. The lights came on automatically, but there was nobody inside. The fridge was stocked, which kept the rats fed, but, even better, there was a huge library full of all kinds of books: “encyclopedias, histories, novels, philosophies, and textbooks of physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, and others” (145). Newspapers the rats found nearby hint that the people living at the estate were away for the winter at their honeymoon, so the rats made themselves comfortable for the winter, learning all they can. They even cleaned up after themselves and kept the house in order in case anyone came to check in on it.