The Lion and the Mouse

Deep in the African savanna, a mighty lion lay sleeping under the shade of a large acacia tree. The king of beasts was tired after a long hunt and was enjoying a peaceful afternoon nap.

A little mouse was scurrying about, looking for crumbs and seeds to eat. In his excitement over finding a particularly large seed, he didn’t notice where he was going and ran right over the lion’s nose!

The lion woke up with a start and quickly caught the tiny mouse in his huge paw. His golden eyes blazed with anger.

“How dare you wake me up, you insignificant little creature!” roared the lion. “I should eat you right now for your disrespect!”

The little mouse trembled with fear but found the courage to speak. “Oh, mighty lion, please forgive me! I didn’t mean to disturb your rest. I was just looking for food for my family. Please spare my life, and I promise I will repay your kindness someday.”

The lion laughed so hard that his mane shook. “You? Help me? You’re so small I could crush you with one toe! How could a tiny mouse ever help the king of all animals?”

But the lion was feeling generous that day, and the mouse’s sincere apology had touched his heart. “Very well, little mouse. I will spare your life. But remember this moment - you owe your life to my mercy.”

The grateful mouse scampered away, calling back, “Thank you, noble lion! I will never forget your kindness!”

Several weeks later, a group of hunters came to the savanna. They set traps throughout the area, hoping to capture the magnificent lion they had heard about.

That evening, as the lion was walking through his territory, he stepped into one of their rope traps. The more he struggled, the tighter the ropes became. Soon he was completely tangled and unable to move.

The lion roared and roared, but the hunters were far away and couldn’t hear him. He was trapped and would surely be captured when the hunters returned in the morning.

The little mouse heard the lion’s roars of distress. Following the sound, he found the great lion tangled in the ropes.

“Oh, mighty lion,” said the mouse, “I see you need help. Remember when you spared my life? Now I can repay your kindness!”

“Little mouse,” said the lion sadly, “I appreciate your willingness to help, but these ropes are too thick and strong. Even I cannot break them. How can someone as small as you possibly help me?”

“Size isn’t everything,” replied the mouse with a smile. “I may be small, but I have sharp teeth!”

The mouse immediately began gnawing at the ropes with his tiny but sharp teeth. He worked through the night, chewing through strand after strand. Just as the sun began to rise, the last rope broke, and the lion was free!

“I can’t believe it!” said the lion, stretching his legs gratefully. “You actually saved me! I was wrong to think that someone small couldn’t help someone big.”

The mouse beamed with pride. “Sometimes the smallest friend can be the greatest friend of all. Kindness, no matter how small, is never wasted.”

From that day forward, the lion and the mouse became the best of friends. The lion learned that every creature, no matter how small, has value and can make a difference. And the mouse learned that true courage comes from helping others, even when they seem much more powerful than you.

Moral: No act of kindness is ever wasted, and even the smallest among us can help the mightiest. Never underestimate the power of friendship and reciprocity.