LITERATURE OUT LOUD
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The lion finds out how valuable a small friend can be, in this retelling of the Aesop fable. Dane Allred has rewritten and narrates this version of the fable.
The Lion and the Mouse
by Dane Allred
As the King of the Forest, the Lion knew he needed the help of no one. He could hunt and capture his own food, send invaders away from his territory, and have whatever he wanted. After a long day of hunting, the Lion was hot and tired, so he relaxed under a large tree, stretched out and fell asleep.
The mice who lived under the tree in the deep roots heard a snoring sound from above. They cautiously crept out of their home and saw the Lion, the King of the Beasts was sleeping, just inches away from them! At first, they were frightened since they knew the Lion ruled this part of the jungle, and no one dared challenge his authority. After creeping slowly closer, the mice realized the Lion was sound asleep.
At first, one of the bravest mice reached out and touched the Lion.Then he ran back to his brothers and sisters, who laughed at his foolishness. When they realized the Lion was still deep in sleep, all of the mice began to climb and play on the Lion.
As the bravest mouse tickled the whiskers of the great Lion and he awoke with a start. The mice scattered, but the Lion was quick and slapped his paw over the brave little mouse. Squeaking with his little voice as the Lion pinched his tail and lifted the mouse towards his mouth, the mouse said, “Great King of the Jungle, you do not want to eat me!! I am such a little mouse. “
The Lion laughed, but the mouse was still dangling over the large mouth of the Lion.
“I know, “said the mouse quickly. “Spare my life now and I will repay this debt by saving your life.”
This made the Lion laugh even louder. “You cannot save me, the master of this land. You are such a little mouse and I need hope from no one. You have given me a great laugh, and since I have had a good long day of hunting, my stomach is full, and such a little morsel as you, well, it is not worth the trouble even to chew you up.” He dropped the mouse and went back to sleep.
The mouse ran back to his home, grateful to be alive.
As the Lion slept, hunters walked by and wondered at their good fortune to see a lion asleep under a tree. They threw a net over the Lion quickly.
The Lion struggled under the net, and could not believe he was being captured by these little humans. But there were too many of them, and soon he found himself tied to the tree. The men left to find a cage for the lion.
The Lion could not understand how all of this had happened so quickly. He roared a loud roar, and the brave little mouse emerged again from under the tree.
“Little mouse!” roared the Lion. “Men have captured me. What am I to do?”
The mouse crawled bravely up the rope and said, “I promised to save your life, and I am happy to chew through this rope so you may go free. But who thought I would be able to repay the debt so soon!!”
The mouse chewed so quickly, the Lion was free in an instant.
The lion turned to his new little friend, and said “You have taught me a great lesson this day.”
“What is that?” said the mouse.
The mighty lion said, “Little friends can be great friends.”
The Lion and the Mouse, as adapted by Dane Allred.
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