Horace Elisha Scudder

The Lion and the Mouse

As a Lion lay asleep, a Mouse ran into his mouth. The Lion shut his teeth together and would have eaten him up, but the Mouse begged hard to be let out, saying:—

"If you will let me go, I will repay you some day."

The Lion smiled, but let the Mouse out. Not long after, the Mouse had a chance to repay him. The Lion was caught by some hunters and bound with ropes to a tree. The Mouse heard him roar and groan, and ran and gnawed the ropes, so that the Lion got free.

Then the Mouse said:—

"You laughed at me once, Lion, as if you could get nothing in return for your kindness to me. But now it is you who owe your life to me."