The Lion and the Mouse

Once there was a big lion. He had a big mane of hair. He had big paws. He lived on the warm grassland.

One afternoon, the lion lay down under a tree. He closed his eyes. He was having a nap.

A little mouse came by. The mouse did not see that the lion was there. She ran right over the lion’s nose! Scurry, scurry.

The lion woke up. He was cross. He put out his big paw and caught the little mouse.

The mouse felt very scared. “Please let me go,” she said in a tiny voice. “I did not mean to wake you. If you let me go, one day I will help you.”

The lion laughed. “You? Help me? You are so small, and I am so big.”

But the lion was kind. He lifted his paw. “Off you go, little mouse,” he said.

“Thank you,” said the mouse. And she ran home.

Some days later, the lion was walking through the long grass.

Suddenly, the lion stepped into a big rope net. Some hunters had left it there. The net went all around him.

The lion pulled. He pushed. He wriggled. But the net was too strong. He could not get out.

The lion felt frightened. He felt stuck. He gave a big roar.

The little mouse heard the roar. “That is my friend the lion,” she said. “He needs help.” She ran as fast as her little legs could go.

The mouse found the lion in the net. “Do not worry,” she said. “I will help you.”

The mouse had small, sharp teeth. She began to nibble the rope. Nibble, nibble, nibble.

She nibbled one rope. Snap! She nibbled another rope. Snap! She kept on nibbling. Nibble, nibble, nibble.

Soon there was a big hole in the net. The lion stepped out. He was free!

The lion felt so happy. He felt grateful. “Thank you, little mouse,” he said. “I laughed at you. But you helped me. I am sorry I laughed.”

The mouse smiled. “Small friends can help too,” she said.

From that day on, the big lion and the little mouse were best friends. They often sat together under the tree in the warm sun. The end.