THE LION AND THE MOUSE

THE LION AND THE MOUSE

A lion was sleeping peacefully,
Beneath a great and shady tree,
When a tiny mouse ran cheekily
Across his heavy paw;
Which made him wake up suddenly
And give a mighty roar.

His paw upon the mouse he clapped
And held the little creature trapped.
“How dare you wake me while I napped
Beneath this shady tree?
I've half a mind to eat you up
For acting cheekily!”

“Oh, spare me, spare me, please, dear lion,
Oh, spare this little life of mine!”
The small mouse begged. “I'm sure I'll find
A way to pay you back!
Yes, please, great king of beasts, be kind
And you'll be glad of that.”

Now this amused the lion no end;
“You are so proud, my little friend.
How could you help me or defend
A creature such as I?
I'm great, you're small. And yet I'll send
You on your way to try.”

Quite soon, however, it came to be
That hunters caught the lion and he
Was tied up to a mighty tree:
Bound strongly, tight and trim;
While they went off, quite hurriedly,
To fetch a cage for him.

The little mouse heard his wild roar
And scurried up to him to gnaw
The knot that bound him. More and more
Rope strands he nibbled through,
Until the lion with one heave tore
The binding rope in two.

“My tiny friend, my mighty power
Would not have saved my skin just now,”
The great lion purred. “But you, this hour,
Though you're so weak and small,
Could help me with your smart know-how
To do what I could not at all!”

“My mighty friend, my tiny power
Has saved you from the hunters now,”
The small mouse squeaked. “There comes an hour
When even the strongest need
A little help. You see, that's how
I have paid back your kindly deed!”