The Tale of Despereaux: Chapter 34 Summary & Analysis

When Gregory wrapped Despereaux in his napkin and placed him on Mig’s tray, he whispered, “back to the light.” Now, Mig enters the kitchen with the tray and loudly announces to Cook that she’s back from the dungeons. Cook shouts that Mig must clear the tray, and to show her how, she reaches over herself and picks up the napkin. Despereaux tumbles out and into a cup of oil. Cook tells Mig to kill the mouse, so Mig fishes Despereaux out of the oil by his tail and then goes to find a kitchen knife. But Despereaux’s tail is slippery, and Mig drops him. She observes that this probably killed him, but Cook says her policy about mice is to kill them, even if they’re already dead—the only good mouse is a dead one.

Despereaux picks his head up and admires how beautiful the light streaming in through the windows is. Mig puts her face down close to his and asks if he’s going to run away. They stare into each other’s eyes for a moment before Mig brings the knife down and cuts off Despereaux’s tail. Despereaux races away from the pain, scurrying just like a mouse should. Cook scolds Mig for just getting the tail and approaches the girl, prepared to hit her.