A small mouse crept up to the sleeping lion. The mouse admired the lion's ears, his long whiskers and his great mane.

"Since he's sleeping, he'll never suspect I'm here!" thought the mouse.

With that, the little mouse climbed up onto the lion's tail, ran across its back, slid down its leg and jumped off of its paw.

The lion awoke and quickly caught the mouse between its claws.

"Please, let me go and I'll come back and help you someday." said the mouse.

The lion laughed ,

"You are so small! How could ever help me?"

The lion laughed so hard he had to hold his belly! The mouse jumped to freedom and ran until she was far, far away.

The next day, two hunters came to the jungle. They went to the lion's lair. They set a huge rope snare. When the lion came home that night, he stepped into the trap.