THE LION AND THE MOUSE

Characters (5) - NARRATOR, LION, MOUSE, MAN 1, MAN 2

NARRATOR – One day a big lion was sleeping in the sun. A little mouse saw the lion alseep.

MOUSE – The lion is sleeping now so I will run up his back.

NARRATOR – The little mouse ran up the lion’s back. She ran down his sides and over his big paws. The lion woke up. Down came the lion’s paw on the little mouse.

MOUSE – Let me go! Let me go! Please let me go! I will be your friend and I will help you someday.

LION – Ha ha ha! So you will be my friend! You will help me someday! Ha ha ha! How can a little mouse help a big lion like me? Go. I am not hungry anyway,

MOUSE – Oh, thank you! Thank you very much. I will help you sometime.

NARRATOR – then the mouse ran away as fast as she could go. Many days went by. Then one day some men came to the woods. They had long ropes.

MAN 1 - This is the place where the lion sleeps every day.

MAN 2 - We will make the trap here. Then the lion will be sure to walk into it.

MAN 1 – We must be sure to make a good trap.

MAN 2 - That lion must not get away.

NARRATOR – So the men made a good trap and went home. The next day the lion was out in the warm summer sun.

LION – This is such a nice warm day. I shall rest here and sleep in the sun.

NARRATOR – He did not know about the trap. The net of ropes fell on him and he was caught.

LION – Roar! Roar! I can not get out of this. I must get out. Roar!

NARRATOR – The lion was so loud that the mouse heard his roars.

MOUSE – That is the lion. I must see if he needs my help.

NARRATOR – The mouse ran and saw the lion in the trap.

MOUSE – Stop! You must not roar. I can help you get out of the trap.

LION – How can you help me? How can a little mouse get me out of this trap?

MOUSE – Wait and you will see. I can gnaw these ropes.

NARRATOR – The mouse started to gnaw the ropes. She gnawed one rope in two.

She gnawed another rope in two, and then another and another.

MOUSE – There, now you are free!

LION – You were right, little mouse. You did help me. I am big and you are little, but we will always be friends.

NARRATOR – And the lion and the mouse became good friends.