Miso and the Midnight Mittens

Each morning, a different mitten appeared beside Miso’s bed. The striped one came first, then the red wool pair, then a tiny mitten no one remembered seeing before.

The family blamed the laundry basket. Miso blamed nobody. She waited until midnight, carried the newest mitten downstairs by its thumb, and arranged it carefully with the others. A soft nest, she believed, required excellent insulation.

The mystery ended when someone followed a trail of yarn to the cupboard. Miso was allowed to keep the unmatched mittens, and the matched ones were stored behind a door that even a determined interior designer could not open.