THE LION and THE MOUSE
by Aesop · from Aesop's Fables; a new translation
Adapted Version
A big lion slept in the sun. He slept very peacefully. A tiny mouse ran by. The mouse ran very fast. It ran over the lion's face. The Lion opened his eyes. He was not happy now.
The Lion was very angry. He put his big paw down. He caught the tiny mouse. The mouse could not move. The Lion wanted to hurt it. He held the mouse tight. The mouse was very scared.
The Mouse felt very scared. It made a tiny, squeaky sound. "Please, please let me go!" it cried. "I will help you later. I promise to help you. One day I will help you. "Please be kind to me," the Mouse spoke softly. It looked at the big Lion.
The Lion heard the tiny mouse. He thought it was very funny. A small mouse help a big lion? He gave a big smile. He laughed a little bit. The Lion was kind then. He opened his big paw. The Mouse ran away fast.
One day, the Lion walked in the jungle. He did not see a trap. A strong net caught him. The net held him tight. He could not move his big paws. The Lion was stuck. He tried to get free. He could not move at all.
The Lion roared loudly. He was very angry. The sound was very big. The little Mouse heard it. The Mouse knew that sound. It was the big Lion. The Mouse remembered its promise.
The Mouse ran very fast. It ran to the big Lion. The Lion was still in the net. The Mouse saw the strong ropes. It started to bite the ropes. It chewed with its tiny teeth. The Mouse did not stop. It worked very, very hard. It chewed and chewed.
Soon, a rope broke. Then another rope broke. The net became loose. The Lion could move now. He was free from the net. The Lion was surprised. He was very happy. The Mouse helped him.
The Mouse looked at the Lion. "See?" said the Mouse. "Small friends help big friends," the Lion smiled. He was very thankful. They were good friends now. No act of kindness is wasted.
Original Story
THE LION AND THE MOUSE
A Lion asleep in his lair was waked up by a Mouse running over his face. Losing his temper he seized it with his paw and was about to kill it. The Mouse, terrified, piteously entreated him to spare its life. "Please let me go," it cried, "and one day I will repay you for your kindness." The idea of so insignificant a creature ever being able to do anything for him amused the Lion so much that he laughed aloud, and good-humouredly let it go. But the Mouse's chance came, after all. One day the Lion got entangled in a net which had been spread for game by some hunters, and the Mouse heard and recognised his roars of anger and ran to the spot. Without more ado it set to work to gnaw the ropes with its teeth, and succeeded before long in setting the Lion free. "There!" said the Mouse, "you laughed at me when I promised I would repay you: but now you see, even a Mouse can help a Lion."
Story DNA
Moral
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted, and even the smallest creature can be of great help.
Plot Summary
A powerful Lion is about to kill a tiny Mouse that disturbed his sleep, but the Mouse pleads for its life, promising future repayment. Amused, the Lion lets it go. Later, the Lion becomes trapped in a hunter's net. The Mouse, remembering its promise, gnaws through the ropes and frees the Lion, proving that even the smallest creature can be a great help.
Themes
Emotional Arc
anger to amusement to gratitude
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Aesop's Fables are a collection of ancient Greek stories credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE. They are characterized by animal characters and a clear moral lesson.
Plot Beats (9)
- A Lion is sleeping in his lair when a Mouse runs over his face, waking him.
- The angry Lion seizes the Mouse with his paw, intending to kill it.
- The terrified Mouse begs for its life, promising to repay the Lion's kindness someday.
- The Lion finds the Mouse's promise amusing and, in good humor, lets it go.
- Later, the Lion gets caught in a hunter's net.
- The Mouse hears the Lion's roars of anger and recognizes them.
- The Mouse runs to the trapped Lion and begins to gnaw through the ropes of the net.
- The Mouse successfully frees the Lion.
- The Mouse points out that despite the Lion's earlier amusement, it was able to help him after all.
Characters
★
The Lion
A large, powerful African lion, approximately 4 feet tall at the shoulder and 8 feet long from nose to tail tip, with a muscular, tawny-gold body. His paws are massive, capable of easily crushing small prey.
Attire: N/A (animal)
Wants: To maintain his dominance and peace within his territory. Later, to escape the hunter's net.
Flaw: His initial arrogance and underestimation of smaller creatures; vulnerability to human traps.
He learns humility and that even the smallest creatures can be valuable allies, overcoming his initial pride.
Initially short-tempered and arrogant, easily amused, and ultimately grateful. He shows a surprising capacity for good-humored mercy.
◆
The Mouse
A small, agile field mouse, approximately 3-4 inches long, with soft, light brown fur and a slender tail. Its body is compact and quick.
Attire: N/A (animal)
Wants: To save its own life initially, then to repay a kindness and prove its worth.
Flaw: Its small size makes it vulnerable to larger predators.
Proves that even the smallest and most insignificant can be powerful and helpful, gaining confidence and respect.
Terrified but quick-witted, persistent, and loyal. It is determined to fulfill its promise.
Locations
The Lion's Lair
A secluded, shadowy den, likely a cave or a dense thicket, where the lion sleeps. It's a place of rest and initial danger.
Mood: Initially peaceful, then tense and terrifying, finally amused.
The lion is awakened by the mouse, seizes it, and then mercifully releases it.
Hunter's Net Trap in the Savanna
An open area of the savanna, likely near a game trail, where hunters have set a large, strong net to catch animals. The lion is ensnared here.
Mood: Desperate, frantic, then hopeful and triumphant.
The lion is caught in the net, and the mouse gnaws through the ropes to free him.