Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH Chapter 14 Summary

The Marketplace

  • The news that her husband died doing the very task she just offered to do is a lot of information for poor Mrs. Frisby to take in. Needless to say, she's feeling overwhelmed. 
  • The rats explain that Jonathan had a good reason for not telling her about his connection to and work with the rats. Try telling that to his wife, though… 
  • She asks what the reason is and Nicodemus says that he will have to tell her a long story in order to answer that question. 
  • Justin and Mr. Ages go to get the sleeping powder while Nicodemus prepares to tell his story.
  • Nicodemus takes Mrs. Frisby into his office, which has a sofa and a radio in it. He tells her that her husband was a part of NIMH.
  • Flashback alert! It's time for Nicodemus to tell Mrs. Frisby a very long story.
  • Nicodemus begins describing the marketplace where he grew up and how much fun it was to live there as a young rat.
  • Here's the scene: one night, Nicodemus and his friend Jenner are cavorting around the marketplace at night.
  • They see a big pile of food that looks almost too good to be true.
  • It turns out that it is too good to be true. Suddenly, men with next swoop down and catch them. Yikes.