“Why should I?” asked Lion. “I’m hungry and you woke me up from my nap. Everyone knows that lions are hungry when they wake up, and you woke me up. But, you are right here and I could eat you up and then go back to sleep!”
Mouse looked up at Lion in fright. He didn’t want to be lunch! “I’m sorry, Mr. Lion!” he squeaked. “But please, let me down! I promise I’ll be careful next time!”
The Lion frowned and picked np the mouse in his paw, holding him from his tail. He pulled the mouse closer and closer to his mouth and opened up his big, mighty jaws, and Mouse saw teeth that were bigger than his tail!
“I’m sorry!!” Squealed Mouse. “I’m going to be much more careful! But, why would you want to eat such a little mouse? I would not taste good and I am too small to make you full. Surely, you would be much happier with a worthier meal!”
The lion looked back at Mouse for a moment and seemed to consider it. But then, something happened. Lion put Mouse down. “You know,” he said with a big yawn. “You’re right. You’re not even big enough to be a little snack. Get out of here,” said the lion as he got comfortable on the floor again, stretching out his back.
“Thank you, kind lion!” said Mouse. “I promise I’ll return the favor someday!” And with that said, Mouse ran away.
Lion chuckled to himself. A mouse, save a lion? How absurd!
A month later, Lion went out on a great, big hunt. He went searching for something new to eat, for he was once again, very hungry. As he was hunting a pack of zebras, something horrible happened! As Lion walked underneath a tree, he suddenly found himself wrapped up in a big net that was stuck to the tree! He could not run away, for the rope was too big. He could not scratch or cut through the net either, because the little squares were too small for him to fit a tooth or a claw through. So, Lion was stuck!
Lion roared and roared as he tried to get out. He shook himself, but nothing happened. He tried to run away, but nothing happened. He tried to chew through the net, but again, nothing happened. Angry and stuck, Lion roared again.
But this time, Mouse happened to be nearby. He heard the roar and thought of the Lion that had let him go, not too long ago. “I wonder if that’s Lion…” he wondered out loud. He started to walk away, but then he remembered his promise. “Maybe I should go see if he’s okay,” said Mouse to himself, so off he went.
It did not take very long to find Lion—he was very busy making very big, loud roars that were so frightening that no one wanted to get near him. But, Mouse recognized the little white spot on one of his paws—the very paw that had held him up to eat him—and he knew that it was the same lion.
Mouse did not hesitate at all. He went right up to Lion. “Excuse me!” he squeaked, but Lion did not hear him. Lion was too busy rolling around and trying to get out of the net, but as he tried to get out, he only made himself more and more tangled up, unable to escape.
“EXCUSE ME!” Mouse yelled as loudly as he could, and that seemed to be enough. Lion stopped roaring and fighting the net and turned to look at him. Lion looked very annoyed.
“What are you doing here?” asked Lion. “Go away!” he was very angry and growled at Mouse.
“I think I can help,” said Mouse. He looked at the net. It would take a very, very long time, but Mouse was pretty sure he could chew it up and let Lion out. After all, he owed Lion a debt, and he always repaid his debts.
