As autumn and harvest time change to long winter days, it is time to share this story with my readers.
~ESA
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Lion and Little Mouse
One
day a little mouse was scurrying about trying to prepare for
the cold dark winter days ahead. She was a tiny thing, even for a
mouse, but she had a very big heart. Before making her own
preparations, she stopped to help others first. By the time she
started her own preparations, there wasn't much left in reach.
The little mouse
ranged farther and farther from the safety of her home looking for what
she needed to survive the cold dark winter days ahead. On one of
these long journeys, she broke through the tall golden autumn grass
and found herself practically nose to nose with a lion that had been
resting there. Her whiskers quivered in fear and a piercing startled
squeak leapt from her throat on its own volition.
Her squeak must have
awakened the sleeping lion for he opened his golden eyes and gazed
calmly at her. Realizing she had just disturbed the King of all the animals, the little mouse hunkered down and lowered her large round ears. "I- I'm sorry, Your Great Majesty, for disturbing your rest," she
timidly squeaked and quickly turned to scamper off.
The lion's quick paw
came down gently but firmly on her little furred tail pinning her
there, regardless of how fast her paws scrambled against the ground.
The poor little mouse was now terrified and she froze in horror with
the realization that she was now trapped.
The lion smiled
gently and picked the little mouse up by her tail and lightly placed
her on his other paw, bringing her closer to his penetrating gaze.
Though sunlight sparkled from his own whiskers, the little mouse
couldn't peel her eyes from the sharp white teeth that were now
clearly visible.
A gentle chuckle
rose from the lion's broad chest. "Don't be afraid, little mouse. I am
not hungry nor do I toy with you. What brings such a little mouse so
far from her home?"
"Oh, please, Your
Majesty! I was just preparing for the dark winter days ahead. All the
supplies within reach were already gathered near my home so I had to
go further out this year seeking what I need. Please just let me go
and I'll be on my way. I did not wish to disturb you."
"And why did you not gather what you needed before now, little mouse?"
"I helped some of my
friends and neighbors to make sure they were ready for the cold dark
winter days ahead. That is why I had a late start. Again, kind Lion,
please let me go and I'll be on my way."
"Not so fast, little
mouse. Why did you not seek help of your friends and neighbors when
you set out to gather your own supplies?"
"I am still young and able. I do not wish to be a burden to anyone as long as I am able to do for myself."
"Ah!" commented the
lion. "But now you are far from home and alone. But you are not truly
alone; for I am here. I will help you."
"You?!?" squeaked
the mouse curling her tiny ears back along her head. "Why would the
King of all the Animals want to help a little mouse like me?"
The lion smiled knowingly and lowered the mouse to the ground. "There may be a day when I need your help."
Puzzled the little
mouse tilted her head back to look up at the lion that towered
over her; the sunlight danced in his noble mane so very, very far
above her. "If there is ever a time when you need my help, I am
willing to do so. But you do not need to help me now, Noble Lion."
The lion's smile
broadened and his golden eyes sparkled with a secret knowledge. "Even
if you believe that now, little mouse, I will help you. It will make
your quest easier and you will be ready for the cold dark winter days
ahead."
And so the lion
helped the little mouse, lifting her high so she could reach
what she needed to survive the cold dark winter days ahead. He even
carried the little mouse and her supplies back to her home.
"I thank you, friend
Lion," squeaked the little mouse from her doorway. "And if you ever
need any help that I can provide, I will gladly do so. But I still
cannot think HOW a little mouse like myself will be able to help the
King of all the animals."
The lion smiled knowingly and nodded his acceptance of her thanks and timid offer of help. "We shall see what the future holds."
Some days later, the
lion was out on patrol. The nearby man's village was growing. It was
near sundown on this day, and the construction site had been
abandoned by the workers. Curious as to what they were
doing, he
wandered among the buildings and poked his whiskered white-tipped nose
here and there.
It wasn't long before
his great forepaw came down on a small steel roofing nail. At first
it didn't hurt as much, but the more he tried to work it out, the
deeper the nail bit into his paw. At last the pain was too great and
an agonized roar escaped his throat.
All the animals heard
their King's roar of pain. They all ran, hopped, scampered and trotted toward
the sound. But each and every one of the animals stopped at the edge
of construction site. None would dare enter where humans have tread,
even to help their King.
The lion by then was
in such pain he couldn't walk the distance back to where the animals
were. "Please, help me!" begged the lion. "The nail has bitten deep
into my paw and I cannot get it out!"
None of the animals moved, but the crowd observing their King's pain grew as more and more animals arrived at the scene.
At last the little
mouse also arrived. She had to weave in and out of all the other
animals to see what the commotion was about. When she saw her lion
friend hurt in the middle of what man had made, she turned to the
other animals. "Can't you see he's in pain? Why has no one gone to
help him?"
"Foolish little
mouse!" growled the black panther. "That's man's world. Even I will
not go there. If that lion decided to enter into man's world, he's on
his own. We will not risk own hides to help him."
The little mouse's
whiskers quivered in rage. "How can you say that? Isn't he your King
as well as mine? I don't care where he is, I'll go over there and help
him." With a swish of her long tail, she scampered over the
embankment and entered the construction site.
In a few minutes she
was once again before the lion, her sides heaving from the long run.
The lion looked down at the little mouse with pain in his golden
eyes, and he looked back across the way at all the gathered animals.
"Why is it only you who has come to my aide?" he asked.
"They don't want to
enter man's world; they're afraid." She looked around herself with
wide panicked eyes. "I'm a bit frightened too, but I remembered my
promise to you. I'll help if I can. But I'm so little I don't know if
my services will do you any good."
"Yes, you can help,
little friend." The lion stretched forth the forepaw. "There is a nail
in my paw and it hurts something fierce."
The little mouse
scurried over the great paw and tilted her head as she studied
the nail. "It's such a little nail. It's actually a bit smaller than I
am." She stood up on her hindpaws and gripped the nail with both
forepaws. Then she pulled with all her might.
The lion hissed a
moment as the nail pulled free and then sighed greatly in relief.
"Thank you, little friend. That is much better." He lowered his
shoulder to the little mouse. "Get on my back, little mouse. I will
carry you home. You have come a great distance to help me."
She gratefully
hopped on his shoulder and climbed the rest of the way to his spine
where she comfortably settled herself at the base of his golden mane.
As she rode back through the construction site, she noted the look of
all the gathered animals. They were not happy. Though they did not
want to help the lion, they were not happy that she received special
treatment because she did. She felt even more timid and her tummy
started to flutter. "Friend Lion......" she began hesitantly.
"Yes, little mouse?" answered the lion as he gazed over his shoulder at her.
"Can I ask something
of you... I'm very grateful for all your help before and for the ride
now, but what I did was such a small thing. Please don't treat me any
differently than the other animals."
The lion paused and
fixed the little mouse with his golden gaze. "But you are the
one who came out to help me where no one else would go."
"If you are certain, so shall it be, my little friend."
So once again, the
lion carried the little mouse to her home and let her scamper down to
her front door. "I shall not forget this, friend, even if everyone
else does. Call on me if you ever need help again."
The mouse smiled warmly. "Thank you, friend Lion. And if I can ever help you again, don't hesitate to call on me."
And they were good friends ever since.
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