Ralph (Mouse)

Ralph S. Mouse (as named in the third book) is the main protagonist of a trilogy of books by Beverly Cleary. He is a young mouse who lives at the Mountain View Inn with his family. He befriends three boys in each book: Keith in the first book, Garf in the second, and Ryan in the third.
In the 1986 special adaption of the first book, he is voiced by Evan Richards. In the specials based on the other two, he is voiced this time by the man behind the stop-motion, John Clark Matthews.
==Biography==
===The Mouse and the Motorcycle===
When Keith Gridley and his family move to the Mountain View Inn, Ralph watches from a window and heads to his home. Matt introduces the family to Room 215, the same room where Ralph resides. Keith plays with his motorcycle and drives it to Ralph's hole, where Ralph hides away. Keith is curious about the hole and heads over to look at it. Keith puts his motorcycle on the night-stand with his ambulance and heads out with his family for a drink of lemonade. Ralph heads out and climbs up the night-stand. He is stunned by the looks of the motorcycle and tries to ride it, but the telephone scares him, causing him to fall into the waste basket. He tries to call for help and escape, to no avail. He then blames himself for not listening to his mother and recalls the day where his mother taught him and his sister, Susie to be watchful of the outside world.
Eventually, Keith and his family return and Keith notices that his motorcycle is missing. His parents leave and Keith notices the nearby waste basket. He finds the motorcycle and reaches in to grab it, but Ralph nips at his hand in fear. Keith is curious and Ralph speaks, much to Keith's astonishment. Ralph explains how he fell into the waste basket and they chat about what they want to do when they grow up. Keith lets him out and he heads to his home. Keith offers Ralph that he can ride his motorcycle and he agrees to bring him food for his family. Keith's mother comes in and Ralph manages to hide in Keith's ambulance before she enters the room and tucks Keith in bed. She leaves the room and Keith searches for Ralph. Ralph comes out of the ambulance and introduces his name to him. Keith decides to have Ralph ride his motorcycle and teaches him how to ride. Ralph performs incredible stunts and Keith is amazed. Ralph suggests on riding across the hallway and Keith makes a deal to use his motorcycle during the daytime, while Ralph uses it at night.
Keith lets Ralph out and he rides across the hallway. Meanwhile, a dog named Schnitzel becomes annoyed by the noises outside and his owner lets him out. Schnitzel chases Ralph and he manages to make it to Room 215. However, Mrs. Gridley closes the door and Schnitzel closes in on Ralph, but Matt saves him. Matt informs Ralph to put away the motorcycle and get back home and he lets Ralph back in. He rides across the room and Mrs. Gridley is shocked. She informs her husband and Keith manages to hide Ralph. Keith's parents leave and Keith sets Ralph onto the floor. Keith tells Ralph to be more careful and Ralph heads back home.
The next morning, Ralph tells his family about Keith, but his mother is unconvinced. Keith brings Ralph food and Ralph's mother is astonished. Later, Keith goes to play ping-pong with his dad and reluctantly agrees to have Ralph look at his motorcycle underneath his bed. Meanwhile, the Inn's maid comes in and vacuums the floor. Unfortunately, she drops the vacuum in front of the motorcycle, forcing Ralph to ride it in order to save it. Eventually, the maid turns if off, causing Ralph to turn loose and get caught in the sheets. Unfortunately, the motorcycle gets lost and Ralph has no choice but to escape the sheets by biting through them. He returns home and his family scolds him for eating between meals and for losing the motorcycle. Keith returns with a crash helmet for Ralph, but Ralph informs him that he lost the motorcycle. Keith gets upset with Ralph and falls ill after playing ping-pong. Keith admits that he is mad that he lost the motorcycle, but tells Ralph that he knows he loves the motorcycle just as much as he does. Meanwhile, the maid brings Keith's pajamas to the manager, Mrs. Nelson and Uncle Lester witnesses it. They set up traps and Uncle Lester scolds Ralph for putting his family into serious jeopardy.
The following night, Keith's fever starts to deteriorate and his parents can't find any TempQuit aspirin pills for him. Ralph hears about it and decides to head out to find the medicine. He searches everywhere across the floor and enters the last room, where he is caught and trapped under a glass cup by an old kindergarten teacher. Ralph tries to convince her to let him out, but the teacher drops him outside her window. Ralph clings onto a branch and an owl watches him. The owl swoops down, but Ralph lets go and safely lands on the porch. He enters the main entrance and is chased by the maid's cat under a drawer. He notices the aspirin and jumps with joy. He arrives at Room 215 and tells Keith about the medicine. He decides to ride his ambulance to get it and Keith lets him out. He taunts Schnitzel and leads him and his owner to the elevator. They reach the first floor and Schnitzel chases the cat outside with his owner following him. Ralph retrieves the aspirin and Schnitzel and his owner return to the elevator. Upon reaching the second floor, Ralph rides back to Room 215, much to the owner's shock. Ralph sets the pill on the floor and attracts the attention of Keith's parents. Mrs. Gridley gives Keith the aspirin and Keith thanks Ralph.
The following morning, Ralph tells his story to his family, much to their astonishment. Meanwhile, Matt returns the motorcycle to Keith and Keith requests Ralph to keep the motorcycle every day. Keith suggests on having Ralph coming with him and living with a cage, but Ralph refuses. Keith hands Ralph back the crash helmet and he decides to buy another motorcycle. Ralph and Keith wish each other good luck and he and his family leave the hotel, while Ralph rides the hall, much to Mrs. Gridley's surprise, but notices him wearing his crash helmet this time.
===Runaway Ralph===
Ralph and his family are watching a cartoon titled Amazing Amos until the manager wakes up and shuts off the TV when a boy named Garfield R. Jeringan and his family arrive, much to Ralph's dismay. Garf hears the bugle of Happy Acres Camp and Matt introduces them to Room 12. Matt offers Garf some breakfast, including peanut butter cookies, much to Ralph's joy. However, he notices his siblings playing with his motorcycle and comes down to stop them from hurting themselves, but his mother berates him for being selfish. They threaten to tell Uncle Lester and Ralph rides down the hall. Uncle Lester catches him and angrily scolds him for not letting his siblings ride his motorcycle. Uncle Lester orders Ralph to give them rides and he reluctantly does so. Eventually, one of his younger siblings requests Ralph to go faster and he does so, only for the motorcycle to fall, causing her to cry. Uncle Lester grounds him for playing too rough and orders him to put his motorcycle away. Ralph tells him he's had enough and leaves on his motorcycle, much to Uncle Lester's frustration.
Meanwhile, while Garf is heading to Happy Acres Camp, he tells his parents of what sounded like a motorcycle, but they don't believe him. Ralph decides to move away and informs Matt. Ralph declares he doesn't need any assistance and offers Matt to open the door for him, but he refuses. Ralph manages to open the door himself and leaves as Matt closes the door. While Ralph is driving on the road and singing, an approaching truck swings him off the road and Ralph survives, only to have his crash helmet broken. The following night, Ralph stumbles upon the woods of Happy Acres Camp and decides to settle in for the night.
The next morning, Ralph is awoken by a malicious cat named Catso as he tries to train his son, Merton how to hunt. Ralph tries to play dead, but Catso demonstrates the "scoop-tossing gobble technique" by tossing Ralph high into the air. Before Ralph could fall into Catso's mouth, Garf catches him in his net and shows it to Aunt Jill. Garf decides to keep him and takes him to the art room, where he is put in a cage next to a cynical golden hamster named Chum. Karen argues with Garf and insults Ralph before they leave the art room. Ralph struggles to get out of his cage, but Chum convinces him to calm down. Ralph and Chum introduce each other and have a conversation, unaware that Catso is watching them from a window. The following night, Garf forbids anyone from feeding Ralph by putting a sign in front of his cage and feeds Ralph pellets. Ralph tries one, but is disgusted and throws them at Garf. Garf turns off the light and hears Ralph's voice offering peanut butter, but Garf brushes it off and leaves.
The next morning, the students are decorating arts and leave the room for fun time. Garf feeds Ralph some sunflower seeds as well as a sandwich, but Aunt Jill convinced him to have fun with his students and tells him to not be in the art room without a guardian. Meanwhile, Merton sneaks into the art room and mistakens Karen's watch for a live mouse. Ralph manipulates Merton and he tosses it in the air and it lands on his face, much to Ralph and Chum's amusement. Ralph notices Garf playing with his motorcycle, but Garf knocks it over and Ralph falls into despair. Merton brings the watch to his father, but Catso scolds him for being fooled and decides to catch Ralph himself.
The following night, Catso sneaks into the art room and Chum tries to warn Ralph about Catso's presence, but Ralph ignores him. Catso approaches their cages and Ralph notices him as he hides in fear. Catso lunges at his cage and knocks it over, freeing Ralph. A chase is ensued through the art room and Catso accidentally flings Ralph onto a toy plane. Catso tries to get him down, but hits the plane, causing it to fly across the room and hit a wall. Catso manages to corner Ralph, but Garf arrives and yells at Catso to get out. Garf searches for Ralph and Ralph announces his presence. Ralph introduces himself and Garf is amazed. Ralph tells him that he has his motorcycle and tells him that a boy (Keith) gave it to him. Ralph demonstrates his riding techniques to Garf until Aunt Jill arrives and he hides. Aunt Jill is shocked by the destruction Catso caused and Chum berates Ralph for talking to humans, but Ralph brushes it off. Ralph hides in Garf's jacket and they leave the art room with his motorcycle. Garf and Ralph head to the boys' bedroom and go to sleep.
The next morning, while the other students are playing games, Garf and Ralph decide to play games by themselves. Ralph demonstrates that he can juggle and Garf tries to do the same, with no success. Meanwhile, Karen notices her watch is missing and suspect Garf of taking it. Karen tells Aunt Jill about the missing watch and later do a ceremony. Karen and the other students accuse Garf of stealing her watch and Garf tries to convince Aunt Jill that he didn't steal it. Aunt Jill asks Garf if he really stole the watch and he's had enough, so he decides to leave. Ralph tells him that the real thief was Merton and convinces him to tell Karen the truth, but he knows they'll think he's crazy, so Ralph decides to get the watch himself and hide it under Karen's hat in the girls' bedroom. He manages to get the watch from Merton and Catso chases him into a hole. Ralph uses several of the students' shoelaces and his lasso to get to the porch and ties Catso's tail. Catso lunges at him, but the string pulls Ralph to the porch and Catso realizes he's been tricked. Ralph sneaks into the girls' bedroom, but Karen and her friends come in and Ralph is forced to hide under her sleeping bag. Ralph tickles Karen's feet and she warns her friends. They open the sleeping bag and scream as they notice Ralph. They capture Ralph with her hat and they notice the watch.
The next morning, Karen and the girls apologize to Garf and hand Ralph back to him. Karen and her friends invite Garf to have lunch with them and Garf congratulates Ralph for getting the watch back. Karen gives Garf an art picture of Ralph and Garf and Ralph decide to go back home. They race each other and they head back to the Mountain View Inn, where Ralph gives his siblings a ride with a wagon.
===Ralph S. Mouse===
Ralph is bored and doesn't want to ride his motorcycle, because there would be problems if anyone sees him and Matt would get in trouble with the new manager, Mr. Minch. His nephews and nieces convince him to give them rides on his motorcycle, but he refuses. However, he notices Ryan Bramble handing out peanut butter cookies and heads down there. The kids berate him for being a liar, but Ralph convinces them that they won't see him. He is nearly caught by Mr. Finch, but manages to hide before he could catch sight of him. He uses his motorcycle and rides in the walls. However, he is confronted by a trio of covetous country mice and they chase after his motorcycle, but Ralph manages to elude them. Ralph arrives, but two guests arrive and Matt convinces him to stay out of sight. Ralph eats some of the cookies, but the country mice return and chase him. Ryan tells him to go to Room 7 and they head into that same room. However, Mr. Minch orders Matt to take the guests to Room 7 and Ryan tries to get Ralph to come out of the room, to no avail. The guests scream at the sight of the mice and tell Mr. Minch about them. Ralph heads back home and the guests leave. Mr. Minch orders Matt to get rid of the mice and threatens to fire him if he doesn't, much to Ralph's shock.
The next morning, Ralph tries to figure out where to go to save his friend from getting fired. Ryan's mother comes in and tells Ryan to get ready for school. Ralph hears this and decides to go to Irwin J. Sneed Elementary School, but Ryan refuses to take him until he reluctantly agrees. On the bus, Ryan discovers that Ralph ate his lunch and tells Ralph about Brad as he gets on the bus. After Ralph examines the other students' lunches, he and the students perform a dance and begin drawing. Eventually, the students begin presenting their items. When it was Brad's turn, he introduces his model Laser XL7 and Ralph is stunned by it. Mrs. Bramble asks Melissa and she tells her than Ryan has a mouse in his pocket. When Brad's speech is over, Ryan reluctantly comes up and introduces Ralph to the class. Melissa is adored by Ralph and Brad insults him, but Ryan retaliates by insulting his car. Mrs. Bramble suggests on building a maze to test Ralph's intelligence and Ryan agrees to have it created to earn extra credit. Ryan puts Ralph in a boot and Ralph demands Ryan to give him back his motorcycle. Ryan promises to give it back to him after the maze, but Ralph refuses. Ryan begs Ralph to help him gain extra credit and he reluctantly agrees.
The following night, Ralph leaves the boot and turns on the lights of the decorations. Ralph turns on the radio and stumbles upon a wheel of tape. Ralph is curious and gets himself caught and tied up. The janitor, Richard Costa enters the classroom and comes upon Ralph. Ralph falls over and Costa tries to catch him by using a dustpan, but Ralph manages to free himself. A chase is ensued throughout the classroom until Costa manages to catch him in a garbage bag, but Ralph escapes by biting through the bag and insults Costa.
The next morning, Brad tries to sabotage the maze, but Ryan stops him. Ryan asks for more help on building the maze and Ralph offers some secret passages, but Ryan refuses. Back at the Inn, Ryan continues to build the maze and Matt suggests on having a peanut butter cookie put at the end. Ralph sees the map for the maze and maneuvers it with huge success. The next morning, Ryan introduces Ralph to the maze and Mrs. Bramble is conducting a news report on Ralph's maze game with students reciting their introductions on mice. After the interviews, the students introduce Ralph to the maze, but Ralph changes his mind. Ryan orders the students to step back to give Ralph fresh air and Ralph finally catches the scent. The race starts, but Ralph is having trouble finding his way through, so he jumps over the walls to reach the finish line. Ryan berates Ralph for cheating, but Ralph brushes it off. Brad insults Ralph and Mrs. Bramble admires Ralph for inventing creative ideas. Ryan and Brad engage in a fight until Mrs. Bramble breaks it up. Ralph asks for the motorcycle, but the motorcycle is broken in half as Ryan pulls it out and Ralph leaves in anger.
The following night, Ryan and Matt watch the news about his school and Richard Costa states that he will exterminate all mice, much to the children's shock, including Ryan. The children boo Brad for supporting Costa and Brad stumbles upon Ralph in the vent. Ralph berates Brad for breaking his motorcycle and Brad convinces him that it was just an accident. Later, Brad meets Costa and he shows him his ultimate mouse trap. Brad informs Ryan that he talked to Ralph and warns him about Costa's trap. Meanwhile, Ralph is attracted to the scent of Limburger cheese coming from the trap. Brad distracts Costa and defeats him by turning on his turbo floor waxer and tying him up. Ryan stops Ralph from going into the trap and turns off the machine.
Ralph, Ryan and Brad head back home and Ryan informs Ralph that the country mice left the hotel without his motorcycle. They return home and Matt is glad to see Ralph again. Ralph asks Ryan and Brad if they fixed his motorcycle, but they say that it will take time for repairs, so they instead introduce Brad's model XL7. Matt tells Ralph how to drive it and he invites all of his nephews and nieces for a ride.
== Gallery ==
RalphMouse.jpg|Ralph in The Mouse and the Motorcycle movie
runaway-ralph-stop-motion.jpg|Ralph in Runaway Ralph: The Movie
Ralph S. Mouse.jpg|Ralph in Ralph S. Mouse: The Movie
==Trivia==
*Many fans have criticized Ralph's cartoonish design and lower-pitched voice in the Ralph S. Mouse adaptation in contrast to his more realistic appearance and higher-pitched voice in the earlier adaptations.
*In the books, Ralph is depicted as holding his tail when riding his motorcycle for safety and residing underneath the grandfather clock in the ground floor.
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