You will find various versions of this story in Panchatantra, Aesops Fables.

One hot afternoon, a lion was fast asleep when a mouse entered the lion's den and jumped all around the lion, and thus woke him up. The lion caught him and was about to kill him, when the little mouse pleased with the lion to let him go.

"I will help you in return some day". The lion was rather amused to hear this, thinking, “What good can he do me. . . ” but he let him go.

A few days later, the lion was trapped in a net that was cast by some hunters. He struggled hard to set himself free but, he soon realised he was trapped. He roared with anger.

The little mouse heard the lion’s roar, and see­ing the lion caught in the net, he started gnawing away at the net at once. The mouse had sharp teeth and he soon freed the lion. Moral of the story is :"Make friends, however strong or weak they may be"

You can learn more about this story, including information on the image used for this story, by visiting [www.gaathastory.com/grateful-mouse.](www.gaathastory.com/grateful-mouse)