Oban's Myths & Legends
The Lion and the Mouse
Aesop fable retold by Oban
A Lion was sleeping peacefully when he was woken by something running up and down his back and over his face.
Pretending to be still asleep, the Lion slowly opened one eye and saw that it was a little mouse.
With lightening speed the Lion reached out and caught the little mouse in one of his large paws. He dangled it by its tail and roared, “I’m the King of Beasts! You’ll pay with your life for showing me such disrespect.”
The Lion held the little mouse over his huge open jaws and prepared to swallow it.
“Please, please don’t eat me, Mr King of Beasts, Sir,” squeaked the mouse. “If you forgive me this time and let me go I’ll never, never forget it.”
“I may be able to do you a good turn in the future to repay your kindness,” it squeaked.
“You, do me a favour!” roared the Lion with laughter. “That is the funniest thing I’ve ever heard.”
Still laughing, the Lion put the mouse down on the ground and said; “You’ve made me laugh so much I can’t eat you now. Go on, off you go before I change my mind.”
The little mouse scurried away as fast as its little legs could go.
Not long after this the Lion was caught in a trap by some hunters. They tied him to a tree with rope while they went to get their wagon.
The little mouse was nearby and came when he heard the mighty Lion’s roar for help.
The mouse gnawed the rope with his sharp teeth and set the Lion free.
“I know you didn’t believe me, but I told you I could help you one day,” squeaked the little mouse. “Even a little mouse like me can help some one as big and strong as you.”
“Thank you my little friend. I won’t forget that lesson,” said the Lion as he ran away before the hunters returned.
The End
What is the moral of this story?
Little friends may prove to be great friends.
Good things come in small
packages.
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
