The Lion and the Mouse

In a great golden jungle, there lived the most powerful lion anyone had ever seen. His mane was like a dark cloud around his face, his roar shook the trees, and every creature in the forest stepped aside when he walked.

One warm afternoon, the lion lay sleeping in the shade of a large fig tree. He slept deeply, his paws stretched wide, his great chest rising and falling slowly.

A tiny mouse was scurrying across the jungle floor, looking for seeds, when she accidentally ran directly across the lion's nose.

The lion snapped awake and slapped his massive paw down, pinning the mouse to the ground.

The mouse trembled violently. She was too frightened to speak.

The lion looked down at the tiny, quivering creature and raised an eyebrow. He could feel her heartbeat through his paw — fast as a hummingbird's wings. He lifted his lips to show his teeth.

And then, for a reason he couldn't quite explain — perhaps it was the morning light, or the simple harmlessness of the small creature — the lion began to laugh. A deep, rumbling chuckle.

"You're so small," he said, "I'd barely taste you. Go on. Run away, little one."

He lifted his paw.

The mouse looked up at him with wide black eyes. "Thank you," she squeaked. "I know you think I'm useless — but one day, I will repay this kindness. I promise."

The lion laughed again and waved her away. A mouse? Repay a lion? The very idea!

Several weeks later, the lion was prowling through a different part of the jungle when he placed his paw into a hunter's hidden net. In seconds the ropes snapped tight around him — he was completely trapped, rolled up in the net and unable to move. He roared and roared, but no one came. Night fell. His roars grew hoarse.

In a tree far away, the tiny mouse heard a sound she recognised. She ran through the dark jungle, following the sound of his struggling, and found the great lion bound in ropes.

Without saying a word, she began to gnaw. Her small sharp teeth worked through one rope, then another, then another. The lion lay perfectly still, not daring to move as she worked.

After a long time, one section of the net gave way — then another — and then the lion heaved his powerful body and burst free.

He stood up slowly and looked down at the small creature sitting in the pile of chewed ropes.

"You came back," he said quietly.

"I promised," said the mouse simply.

The lion bowed his great head slowly. There was nothing else to say. From that day on, the lion and the mouse were the most unlikely friends in the entire jungle — and the lion never forgot that the smallest creatures sometimes carry the biggest hearts.

🌟 Moral of the story

No one is too small to help. Kindness always comes back to you.

कभी किसी को छोटा नहीं समझना चाहिए — हर कोई किसी न किसी दिन काम आ सकता है।