The Lion and the Mouse
A lion was sleeping in his lair when a mouse, not knowing where he was going, ran over the mighty beast's nose and awakened him. The lion clapped his paw upon the frightened little creature and was about to make an end of him in a moment, when the mouse, in pitiable tone, besought him to spare one who had so unconsciously offended, and not stain his honorable paws with so insignificant a prey. The Lion, smiling at his little prisoner's fright, generously let him go.
Now it happened that a short time later the Lion, while ranging the woods for his prey, fell into the toils of the hunters. Finding himself entangled without hope of escape, he set up a roar that filled the whole forest with its echo.
The mouse, recognizing the voice of his former benefactor, ran to the spot and, without more ado, set to work to nibble the knot in the cord that bound the lion. In a short time the mouse set the noble beast at liberty, thus convincing him that kindness is seldom thrown away and that there is no creature so much below another but that he may have it in his power to return a good favor.