The Lion and the Mouse
獅子與老鼠
A mighty lion spares a little mouse who tumbles onto his nose, and later, caught fast in a hunter's net, learns just how much a small friend can help.
The story
One hot afternoon, dappled sunlight fell through the branches of a great tree, and a lion lay sleeping in the shade below. A little crown of woven leaves sat on his head, and his heart-shaped golden mane spread out around him as his chest rose and fell with each slow breath. Nearby, in the roots and grass, a small round mouse with a tiny pouch of acorns on his back was chasing his own shadow, not watching where he leapt.
Without meaning to, the little mouse jumped straight onto the lion's nose. The lion woke with a start, and in one swift movement, a huge paw came down and pinned the mouse in place. The little mouse trembled from his round ears to his tail, too frightened to move.
"Please, great king, let me go," the mouse begged in a small voice. "Perhaps one day I can repay your kindness." The lion laughed so hard the leaves shook above him — what could such a tiny creature ever do for him? But the mouse looked so pitiful that the lion lifted his paw anyway, and the little mouse scurried back into the grass.
A few days later, as evening began to fall, the lion was walking through the forest when he stepped straight into a hunter's hidden net. The rough rope pulled tight around him at once, and the harder he struggled, the tighter it held. All he could do was throw back his head and roar, a heavy, urgent sound that rolled through the whole forest.
The little mouse heard it too, and knew at once whose voice it was. He dropped the acorn he was holding and dashed through the fallen leaves toward the sound. When he found the lion trapped fast in the net, he did not laugh and he did not run away. Instead, he climbed up to the rope and began to gnaw at it with his small sharp teeth.
The rope was thick and tough, bitter and hard between his teeth, but the mouse did not stop. Strand by strand he chewed through it, until at last the final rope snapped and the lion dropped free, landing safely on his feet.
The lion looked down at the tiny mouse, quieter and more thoughtful than before. He remembered what the mouse had promised — "Perhaps one day I can repay your kindness" — and now he had. Under the soft light of the moon, the lion gently lowered his head and touched his nose to the little mouse in thanks. At last he understood: even the smallest friend can offer the greatest help, exactly when it is needed most.
Story takeaway
No one is too small to matter; a little kindness, once given, can come back to help us in ways we never expect.
Talk together
Have you ever been helped by someone smaller than you, or someone you didn't expect much from? How did that make you feel?
For grown-ups
Parent note
A gentle read for children who tend to judge others by size or strength. The lion doesn't expect the tiny mouse to be any help at all — yet it's that very mouse who later saves his life. Talk with your child about the small friends or small acts of kindness in their own life that turned out to matter more than expected. It's also worth asking whether they'd be willing to accept help from someone smaller or less powerful, the way the lion eventually does.
Words to learn
- kindness: being gentle, generous, and considerate toward someone. e.g. The mouse wanted to repay the lion's kindness.
- struggle: to try hard to get free from something difficult. e.g. The more the lion struggled, the tighter the net became.
- repay: to give back something in return for help or a favor received. e.g. The mouse repaid the lion by chewing through the rope.
Reading activity
Play a quick "who does this sound like?" game — read a few lines and see which character in the story matches: "Thinking someone is too small or weak to ever be helpful." → sounds like the lion at the start, judging by size alone. "Saying 'I'll pay you back one day' — and then actually doing it." → sounds like the mouse, keeping his promise. "Seeing someone in trouble and rushing to help instead of laughing or running away." → sounds like the brave little mouse. Wrap up by wondering together: if you were the lion, how would you feel watching the little mouse come to save you?
Source information
Aesop · Project Gutenberg public-domain fables
Public-domain fables and short tales from Project Gutenberg.
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