The Lion and the Mouse

This story is called The Lion and the Mouse, based on a traditional fable by Aesop, and adapted and read by Ryan Aoto. This is a LibraryCall recording. On the grasslands of Africa there lived a lion. He was bigger and faster than the other lions. In every measurable, physical way, he was the best lion. Unfortunately, in every social way, he was the absolute worst lion. “You call that running?” he would say to the others. “I am much faster than you. I’m surprised you can catch any food at all.” Lions live in large families called prides. Normally, the lionesses do all the hunting. This lion, however, would not accept the food that they brought. It was never good enough for him. “I’m not eating that,” he would say. “That piece doesn’t have enough meat on it,” he would complain. “You didn’t tear it off right,” he would criticize. “I’ll do it myself.” One day, he was napping on a rock in the sun. Suddenly, he felt tiny pokes on his face. With one quick swipe of his powerful paw, he grabbed the thing that had disturbed him. He saw a tiny mouse dangling in the air by its tail. “What are you doing?” growled the lion. “I’m terribly sorry,” squeaked the mouse. “I didn’t notice you were lying here. I ran right across your nose. Please don’t eat me! I’ll do any favor you ask, if you let me go.” “Hahahaha! You? Do a favor for me? Even the other lions aren’t good enough to help me. What could you possibly do?” The mouse had several ideas, but he dared not speak up in case anything he said would anger the lion. “I will let you go. You are too small to even be a snack. Now be gone.” “Thank you,” the mouse squeaked, and then he was gone. A week later, the lion was out hunting. He went to hide by some trees. As soon as he stepped under one of the trees, a net fell from above. The lion struggled and pulled, twisted and pushed, but he could not get free. The lion did not know what to do. If he could not break the net, what could anyone else do? Luckily for the lion, the mouse had heard his roaring. He saw the great lion twisted in the net. “Don’t worry Mr. Lion,” the mouse said. “I’m here. I’ll get you out.” He started to gnaw at the ropes with his tiny teeth. “You?” the lion roared angrily. “What could you possibly do? These ropes were far too strong, even for me? How could a weak thing like you possibly help?” The mouse ignored the lion and kept gnawing. It took several minutes, but eventually one of the ropes came loose. “I can’t believe it,” the lion said, in shock. “I have repaid my debt,” the mouse replied and then he ran off into the bushes. The lion slowly walked back to the open grass. Soon, three other lions came running up to him. “Are you okay,” they asked. “The birds told us you had been caught in a net! We were coming to help.” “You were coming to help me?” he said softly. “Of course,” they said. “How did you get out? Were you able to break free?” The lion was too embarrassed to admit that a tiny mouse had saved him. He was about to lie and say his great strength had saved him, when a small sunbird landed nearby. “A mouse freed him,” the bird said plainly. “I saw him do it. The mouse chewed on the ropes until they broke.” “Is that true?” “Yes,” the lion admitted. He braced himself for the teasing he was sure was about to follow. Instead, the other lions just nuzzled him with their heads. “Thank goodness,” they said. “Where did the mouse go? We owe him much thanks.” “I don’t know,” the lion said. “He ran off.” “Come on back to the pride,” the other lions said. “The lionesses will be back from the hunt soon.” The lion went back with his family. He let them lick his wounds. He thanked them for the food they brought him and politely offered to help clean up. He realized just how much he missed being around them. That night, as he looked up at the stars, he said a quiet thank you to the mouse, wherever he was, not just for freeing him from the net, but for giving him back his pride. Thank you for listening to The Lion and the Mouse, a traditional Aesop fable, adapted and read by Ryan Aoto. This has been a LibraryCall recording.