Once upon a time
The Lion and the Mouse
Aesop’s fables · retold for families
About 3 min read aloud · For grown-ups and children together
A lion slept in the sun, his golden mane spread on the grass. A little mouse scampered across his paw.
The lion woke with a roar and pinned the mouse with one paw. “Please,” squeaked the mouse, “if you let me go, I may help you one day.”
The lion laughed, but the sound was warm. “You? Help me?” Still, he opened his paw. The mouse bowed and vanished into the reeds.
Days later, hunters wove a strong net around the lion. He thrashed and roared, but the ropes only tightened.
The mouse heard him. She called her sisters. They chewed and chewed — thread by thread — until the net fell open.
The lion stood free. “Little friend,” he said, “I mocked your size, but your heart was brave.”
The mouse smiled. “Even small teeth can set big friends free.”
That night, the forest was quiet. Two creatures remembered: kindness, once given, finds its way back.
Classic tale retold by IRA Creations for screen-free bedtime. After the story, try a quiet craft — our painting kits or free colouring sheets.