The Mouse and the Lion

One day a lion caught a mouse. "Spare me," said the mouse, "I

am so little and you are so big; but, who knows, perhaps some

day I will be able to do you a favour." The lion thought this funny

and let the mouse go. But a few days later the very same lion was

caught in a net. After a while the mouse came along, "Help, called

the lion, Help, little mouse . Chew through these ropes.

Remember, after all, that you owe me a favour." The mouse

started chewing and then suddenly stopped. "Why have you

stopped?" roared the lion. "Well, I just thought of something," said

the little mouse, "You see, I think I have already done you a

favour." "You haven't," roared the lion. "Yes, I have," said the

mouse. "What?" roared the lion. "Well, you see," said the mouse,

"I haven't killed you."

From Feminist Fables (Virago; Spinifex)

copyright Suniti Namjoshi

(India, Canada, Britain)

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