Aesop's Fables Edited by Charles Stikeney.

 

THE LION AND THE MOUSE

 
IT once happened that a hungry Lion woke
to find a Mouse just under his paw.   He
caught the tiny creature, and was about to
make a mouthful of him, when the little fellow
looked   up,  and  began  to  beg  for his life.
   In most  piteous tones the  Mouse said,
"If you would only spare my life now, O Lion,
I would be sure to repay you!"
   The Lion laughed scornfully at  this,  but
he lifted his paw,  and let his brave prisoner
go free.
   It befell the great Lion, not long afterward,
to be in as evil a case as had been the helpless
Mouse.  And it came about that his life was
to be saved by the keeping of the promise he
had ridiculed.
    He was caught by some hunters, who bound
him with a strong rope, while they went away
to find means for killing him.
   Hearing his loud groans, the Mouse came
promptly to his rescue, gnawed the great rope,
and set the royal captive free.
   "You laughed," he said, "at the idea of my
being able to be of service to you.  You little
though I should repay you.  But you see it
has come to pass that you are as grateful to
me as I was once to you."

   The weak have their place in the world as
truly as the strong. 

 

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