The Lion and the Mouse
A mighty lion learns not to underestimate the little mouse who saves him from a hunter's net, proving small friends can be the biggest help
There once lived a mighty lion with lush golden fur and a loud, powerful roar in the jungles of India. All the other animals feared the lion because he was so big and strong.
One sunny day, the lion was taking a peaceful nap under the shade of a banyan tree. As he snoozed, a tiny brown mouse was scurrying through the grass nearby looking for seeds to eat.
The little mouse wasn't watching where he was going and he accidentally ran right over one of the lion's big fuzzy paws! The lion felt that and woke up angry and annoyed.
He grabbed the mouse quickly in his paw and roared "How dare you disturb my nap and crawl on me, tiny mouse!"
The mouse was so frightened he was shaking like a leaf in the lion's huge paw. "Oh please don't eat me, Great Lion!" the mouse pleaded. "I'm so very sorry I bothered you. If you let me go free, I promise I will help you someday if you ever need it!"
The lion looked at the trembling mouse and laughed loudly. He thought it was ridiculous that such a tiny, weak creature could ever help the king of the jungle. But the lion decided to be merciful and let the mouse run off unharmed.
Many weeks later, as the lion prowled through the forest, he suddenly got trapped in a hunter's net! The big strong lion thrashed around, but the more he fought, the more tangled up he became.
The lion let out pitiful loud roars asking for help. By chance, the little mouse heard the cries and scampered to the lion as fast as he could.
"Don't be afraid, my friend. I'll gnaw through these ropes and set you free!" the brave mouse declared. And he opened his mouth wide, using his sharp tiny teeth to nibble and nibble the thick net.
Soon, the mouse had chewed through enough ropes that the lion could break free! He escaped from the net, amazed at how even the tiniest creature could be a big help with some effort.
The lion realized he had been wrong to dismiss the mouse. From that day forward, the two unlikely friends looked out for each other. The story teaches not to judge someone's worth by their size alone!