THE LION AND THE MOUSE

Once, when a Lion was asleep, a little Mouse began running up and down upon him. This soon
woke up the Lion, who annoyed placed his huge paw upon the Mouse, and opened his big jaws
to swallow him. The little Mouse, terrified, piteously cried, “Pardon me great King; please let me
go. Forgive me this time, and I will never forget it. Who knows, one of these days I may be able
to repay you for your kindness”. The Lion was so amused at the idea of such an insignificant
creature being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw and let him go. But the Mouse’s chance
came after all.

A few days after letting the Mouse go, the Lion got entangled in a net set as a trap by some
hunters. The hunters wanted to carry him alive as a gift to their King, and so they tied him to a
tree while they went in search of a wagon. The little Mouse, who happened to be passing close
by, heard and recognized the Lion’s roars of anger and ran to the spot. Seeing the Lion’s sad
plight, the Mouse went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the
Beasts. “There!” said the little Mouse, “Was I not right? You laughed at me when I promised I
would repay you, but now you see: Even little friends may prove great friends”.