A Lion asleep in his lair was waked up by a Mouse running over his face. Losing his temper he seized it with his paw and was about to kill it. The Mouse, terrified, piteously entreated him to spare its life. “Please let me go,” it cried, “and one day I will repay you for your kindness.” The idea of so insignificant a creature ever being able to do anything for him amused the Lion so much that he laughed aloud, and good-humouredly let it go. But the Mouse's chance came, after all. One day the Lion got entangled in a net which had been spread for game by some hunters, and the Mouse heard and recognised his roars of anger and ran to the spot. Without more ado it set to work to gnaw the ropes with its teeth, and succeeded before long in setting the Lion free. “There!” said the Mouse, “you laughed at me when I promised I would repay you: but now you see, even a Mouse can help a Lion.”
獅子正在自己的巢穴中睡覺,一只老鼠從他臉上爬過,把他驚醒了。獅子勃然大怒,伸出爪子一把抓住老鼠,準備殺了他。老鼠萬分驚恐,可憐兮兮地懇求獅子饒他一命?!胺盼易甙?,”老鼠說,“總有一天我會報答你的大恩大德的。”這么個小不點,居然說能為他做事,獅子覺得好笑極了,但還是心情愉悅地把老鼠放了。而老鼠所說的那一天終于還是來到了。一天,獅子被獵人設下的網(wǎng)給困住了,老鼠聽到聲音,認出是那頭獅子的怒吼,于是跑了過去。他二話沒說,便開始咬嚙繩子,沒用多久便成功將獅子放了出來?!翱?!”老鼠說,“我承諾會報答你的時候你還笑我呢,現(xiàn)在看來,老鼠盡管小,也是能夠幫助獅子的。”