Question

The Lion and the Mouse

Once when a Lion was asleep, a Mouse began running up and down upon him. This soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon the Mouse, and opened his big jaws to swallow the little creature. “Pardon, O Great Lion,” cried the little Mouse, “Forgive me this time, and I shall never forget it. Who knows? I may be able to do you a good turn one day.” The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted his paw and let him go.

Sometime later, the Lion was caught in a hunters’ trap. The hunters, who wanted to bring the Lion alive to the king, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him. Just then, the Mouse happened to pass by. Seeing the sad plight of the Lion, the Mouse went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the mighty animal. “Was I not right?” asked the little Mouse.


1. List the characters in the fable.

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2. Summarize the plot.

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3. What moral lesson do you think this fable is trying to teach?

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4. Do you think this kind of storytelling is effective? Why or why not?

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Answer 1

1. The characters in the fable are the Lion and the Mouse.

2. The plot of the fable is as follows: The Lion is asleep when the Mouse starts running up and down on him. The Lion wakes up and catches the Mouse, but the Mouse begs for mercy and says that he may be able to help the Lion one day. The Lion is amused by this and lets the Mouse go. Later, the Lion is caught in a trap set by hunters, and the Mouse happens to pass by and sees the Lion's predicament. The Mouse gnaws through the ropes that bind the Lion and frees him.

3. The moral lesson of the fable is that one should be kind to others, even if they are weaker or seemingly insignificant, because they may be able to help you in the future.

4. This kind of storytelling, using animals as characters and conveying a moral lesson, is often effective because it is easy to understand and remember. The use of animals as characters allows for the story to be more relatable and the use of a moral lesson helps the reader to apply the story to their own lives. Additionally, the use of an interesting and engaging plot helps to keep the reader's attention and make the story more memorable.