In a dense jungle, there lived a mighty lion, the king of all animals. His roar echoed through the trees, and all the creatures in the forest feared him. One hot afternoon, after a satisfying meal, the lion lay down under a big tree to take a nap.
As the lion slept, a tiny mouse, scurrying about in search of food, accidentally ran across the lion's nose. The lion woke up with a start and trapped the mouse under his huge paw.
"How dare you disturb my sleep!" the lion roared, baring his sharp teeth. The mouse trembled in fear and pleaded, "Oh, mighty king, please spare my life! If you let me go, I promise to help you one day."
The lion laughed loudly. "You? Help me? How could a tiny creature like you ever help someone as powerful as me?" But the lion was in a good mood, and he thought the mouse was too small to be worth the trouble. So, he lifted his paw and let the mouse go.
The grateful mouse scurried away, promising that he would never forget the lion's kindness.
A few days later, as the lion was walking through the jungle, he fell into a hunter's trap. A strong net made of thick ropes fell over him, and no matter how hard the lion tried, he couldn't break free. His roars of anger and frustration echoed through the forest.
The little mouse heard the lion’s roars and quickly ran to the spot. Seeing the lion trapped, the mouse said, "Don't worry, my friend. I'll help you." The mouse began to gnaw at the ropes with his sharp teeth. Slowly but surely, he chewed through the thick ropes until the net was weak enough for the lion to break free.
The lion, now free, looked at the tiny mouse with gratitude. "Thank you, little friend. I see now that even the smallest creature can help the mighty. I will never underestimate anyone again."
The mouse smiled and said, "We all have our strengths, no matter our size. I'm glad I could help you, just as you once helped me."
From that day on, the lion and the mouse became the best of friends, showing everyone in the jungle that kindness and friendship know no size.