The Lion and the Mouse in English

"The Lion and the Mouse" is a classic fable attributed to Aesop. It tells the story of an unlikely encounter between a powerful lion and a small mouse, illustrating the themes of kindness, reciprocity, and the importance of even the smallest creatures.

In the story, a lion is sleeping in the forest when a mouse accidentally runs across his nose, waking him up. The lion captures the mouse and, in a show of mercy, decides to let it go rather than eat it. The mouse, grateful for the lion's kindness, promises to return the favor one day, though the lion doubts that the mouse could ever help him.

Sometime later, the lion is caught in a hunter's net. Unable to free himself, he roars in distress. The mouse hears his cries and comes to his aid. The mouse gnaws through the ropes of the net, freeing the lion. The lion is both surprised and humbled, learning that even a small creature can be of great help and that kindness is often repaid in unexpected ways.

The moral of the fable is that no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. It also underscores the value of humility and the idea that strength and size do not determine one's ability to be helpful.