The Lion and the Mouse as an English fairy tale to learn and practice English with a podcast, list of new vocabulary and questions obtained from Gutenberg Project
The Project Gutenberg EBook of Aesop’s Fables, by Aesop at www.gutenberg.net
Once when a lion was asleep, a little mouse began running up and down upon him; this soon wakened the lion, who placed his huge paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to swallow him.
“Pardon, O King,” cried the little mouse: “forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but what I may be able to do you a turn some of these days?”
The lion was so tickled at the idea of the mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw and let him go.
Some time after, the lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the king, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on.
Just then the little mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts.
“Was I not right?” said the little mouse.
Little friends may prove great friends.
The Lion and the Mouse by Bita Hariri Asl
New words and expressions
- Asleep: sleeping
- Huge: big, large
- Swallow: eat, gulp down
- Pardon or forgive: excuse, let go, release
- Be tickled at: be amused or entertained, laughed at
- Pass by: go by
- Gnaw away: destroy by chewing or biting
Questions for discussion
- Why did the mouse think it could help the lion, even though the lion was much bigger and stronger?
- What lesson does the fable teach about kindness and helping others?
The mouse wanted to save his own life. So he suggested his help and that his small size might provide certain advantages.
The fable teaches us that kindness can lead to unexpected rewards and even small actions of kindness return to us in some way.
That’s right. Your comment reminded me about this English proverb on helping others and being kind to them:
2- Kindness and helping others have big effect on our relationships with others. Kindness is more about understanding the others needs and being care of them. Also, kindness decrease loneliness. Moreover, I believe that a little kindness we give, we get in return in our life.
Beside above, this story tells us a more important lesson that is loyalty to our friends. The best friends show themselves in difficult times.
Feedback
1. understanding the others needs = understanding others’ needs
2. being care of them = taking care of them
3. kindness decrease = kindness decreases loneliness
4. The best friends = Best friends (indefinite)
1- The little mouse was aware of his abilities such as chowing or biting things. Also, not only being little was not a big obstacle for mouse, but also it was chance to move faster. Beside, the mouse had no choice to save himself at that moment.
Feedback
1. chowing = chewing
2. it was chance to move faster = it was a chance to move faster
3. Not only was being little not a big obstacle for the mouse, but it was also a chance …
4. beside, = besides,
5. the mouse had no chance but to save …
2.That no one should be neglected no matter whether your small or not so clever- Rosita
That’s a good point. Everybody deserves to be treated respectfully irrespective of their size, fame, ethnicity, race, color, and the like.
1. The mouse prove that the little things can change the situation. – Robina
That’s right. The little mouse proved it to the huge and strong lion that size is not the only factor that needs to be taken into account.