Once, as a lion lay sleeping in his
den, a naughty little mouse ran up his tail, and onto his back and up his mane
and danced and jumped on his head, so that the lion woke up.
lion angry and mouseThe lion grabbed
the mouse and, holding him in his large claws, roared in anger. 'How dare you
wake me up! Don't you know that I am King of the Beasts? Anyone who disturbs my
rest deserves to die! I shall kill you and eat you!'
The terrified mouse, shaking and
trembling,
begged the lion to let him go. 'Please don't eat me Your Majesty! I
did not mean to wake you, it was a mistake. I was only playing. Please let me
go - and I promise I will be your friend forever. Who knows but one day I could
save your life?'
The lion looked at the tiny mouse and
laughed. 'You save my life? What an absurd idea!' he said scornfully. 'But you
have made me laugh, and put me into a good mood again, so I shall let you go.'
And the lion opened his claws and let the mouse go free.
'Oh thank you, your majesty,' squeaked
the mouse, and scurried away as fast as he could.
A few days later the lion was caught in
a hunter's snare. Struggle as he might, he couldn't break free and became even
more entangled in the net of ropes. He let out a roar of anger that shook the
forest. Every animal heard it, including the tiny mouse.