"The Lion and the Mouse" is a French fable.

Once upon a time, a mighty, ferocious lion lay in the forest, enjoying the cool breeze rustling his mane, the softness of the soil beneath him, the muted sunlight pouring through the canopy of leaves overhead. He fell asleep and began to dream of the meal he would eat when he awoke.

Suddenly something brushed the lion's foot, and he was jolted awake. There before him stood a trembling mouse. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to wake you ... "

"Fool!" the lion roared. "How dare you disturb a king's sleep!"

"I apologize," the mouse said. "I hope your royal highness will find strength in your heart to forgive your faithful servant. I beg you to forgive me and count me your friend."

The lion couldn't believe his ears. "Why should I forgive such a tiny creature?" the lion asked.

The mouse bowed low. "I too am a creature on this Earth," he said softly. "You are a royal, that is true, and strong and powerful."

"Yes," the lion said, "and you are so small as to be insignificant."

"But I promise you the greatest strength of all," the mouse said. "If you forgive me, I will be forever grateful."

The lion laughed. "Grateful?" he asked. "And what good will your gratitude do for me?"

"I can only offer you my understanding of this world," said the mouse, "and my understanding is small. But I believe that gratitude in one as great as you, lion, makes you more powerful. If you harm me, you will be no greater than you are today. But if you allow me my freedom, you will have earned a friend and admirer."

"Go on," said the lion. "I wish to wage no battle. You are free to go."

"Thank you," said the mouse. "You will never regret this."

And so they bid each other farewell with offers of peace and friendship.

Several years later, the lion was roaming through the forest one night when suddenly he felt something encircle his leg. A moment later he fell into a pit and a huge net fell on him.

The lion struggled to free himself from the net's embrace, but his resistance worked against him. Soon the cords of the net were so twisted that the lion was like a fly trapped in a spider's web.

In his anguish he let out one long roar that echoed through the whole forest. Every leaf on every tree shook and the ground itself trembled.

From far away the little mouse felt the ground stirring and heard that roar. "That voice," he said to himself. "I know that voice."

The mouse turned to his friends. "Come, we must follow that sound. That is my friend, the lion. He needs our help."

"Your friend?" the mice asked. "A mouse and a lion cannot be friends." But the mouse insisted, and he and the others scurried off, following the sound.

When they reached the pit, the mouse looked down and saw the helpless lion shivering. "Friend," he called, "it is I, the mouse. I've come to repay your kindness."

When the lion heard that voice, he looked up, and his whole being filled with a new sensation and warmth spread across his chest. But he could not speak.

The mouse and his friends and family crawled into the pit and began to chew through the net that ensnared the lion. Soon the lion felt the cords falling away. He was free!

The lion leapt out of the pit, and the mice followed.

The lion looked with gratitude at his old friend. "You saved me," he said.

"Of course. You are my friend," the mouse answered.

The lion nodded. "Yes, and I look forward to a day I can be such a friend to you." And with these words they bid each other farewell.

The lion returned to his home, and the mouse and his comrades returned to theirs, and all the creatures of the forest understood the wisdom and strength of friendship.