The Lion and the Mouse
An Aesop's fable for kids: read the illustrated story and watch the cartoon
A mighty lion lets a tiny mouse go free… and one day the little mouse returns the favor. Watch the short cartoon (2 minutes 40 seconds) or read the story aloud: the illustrated text is below.
Chapters
The story
Far, far away, in the warm golden savanna where the acacia trees grow, there lived a mighty Lion. All the animals respected him, and the little ones were just a tiny bit afraid.
One day at noon, the Lion lay down in the shade of a big acacia tree and fell fast asleep. His tail twitched lazily, and his whiskers wiggled in his dreams.
Just then, a little grey Mouse came running through the grass. She was in such a hurry to get home that she didn't look where she was going... and hop! Right onto the Lion's nose. The Lion opened his eyes and caught her with one swift paw.
LionWho dares to wake the king of the animals?
The Mouse trembled.
MouseI'm sorry, Lion! I didn't mean to. Please let me go, and one day I will help you too.
The Lion laughed so loudly that the birds flew out of the acacia.
LionYou? Help me? What a funny idea! All right, off you go, little one.
He lifted his paw, and the Mouse scurried into the grass.
A few days later, the Lion was walking across the savanna and didn't notice a hunters' trap. Whoosh! A strong rope net fell on top of him. The Lion pulled and twisted, but the net only got more tangled.
LionRoar! Help!
His roar echoed across the whole savanna. The Mouse knew that voice at once.
MouseThat's the Lion! He's in trouble!
And she ran as fast as she could.
MouseDon't be afraid, Lion. I'm here!
The Mouse began to nibble the rope with her sharp little teeth. Crunch, crunch, one rope snapped. Crunch, crunch, another. Soon there was a big hole in the net, and the Lion climbed out, free.
LionThank you, little Mouse. I laughed at you, but you saved me.
MouseI promised, didn't I?
From that day on, the Lion and the Mouse were the very best of friends. Because kindness always comes back, and even the smallest friend can do a very big thing.
Questions to talk about with your child
- Why did the Lion let the Mouse go?
- Why did the Lion laugh when the Mouse promised to help him?
- How did the Mouse know the Lion was in trouble?
- How could a tiny mouse save a big, strong lion?
- How do you think the Lion felt when he remembered laughing at the Mouse?
- Can you remember a time when you helped someone, or someone helped you?
About this fable
The Lion and the Mouse is one of the best-known fables of Aesop, the storyteller of ancient Greece. His short animal stories, each with a simple moral, have been told to children for more than two and a half thousand years.
Our version is a gentle retelling for little ones: calm music, nothing scary, and separate voices for the narrator, the Lion and the Mouse.