The Lion and the Mouse
A free A2-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
A mouse begs a sleeping lion to spare her life and promises to repay his mercy one day — then gets an unexpected chance to prove it.
A Lion was asleep in the forest, his great head resting on his paws.
Seekor Singa sedang tidur di hutan, kepalanya yang besar bertumpu pada kedua kakinya.
A timid little Mouse came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across the Lion's nose. Roused from his nap, the Lion laid his huge paw angrily on the tiny creature to kill her.
Seekor Tikus kecil yang penakut datang menghampirinya tanpa sengaja, dan karena ketakutan dan tergesa-gesa hendak melarikan diri, ia berlari melintasi hidung Singa. Terbangun dari tidurnya, Singa meletakkan cakarnya yang besar dengan marah di atas makhluk kecil itu untuk membunuhnya.
"Spare me!" begged the poor Mouse. "Please let me go, and some day I will surely repay you."
"Ampuni aku!" pinta Tikus yang malang itu. "Tolong biarkan aku pergi, dan suatu hari nanti aku pasti akan membalas budimu."
The Lion was much amused to think that a Mouse could ever help him. But he was generous, and finally he let the Mouse go.
Singa merasa sangat geli membayangkan bahwa seekor Tikus bisa menolongnya. Tetapi ia berhati mulia, dan akhirnya ia membiarkan Tikus itu pergi.
Some days later, while stalking his prey in the forest, the Lion was caught in the net of a hunter. Unable to free himself, he filled the forest with his angry roaring.
Beberapa hari kemudian, saat sedang mengintai mangsanya di hutan, Singa terjebak dalam jaring seorang pemburu. Tidak dapat membebaskan dirinya, ia memenuhi hutan dengan raungan marahnya.
The Mouse knew the voice, and quickly she found the Lion struggling in the net. Running to one of the great ropes that bound him, she gnawed it until it parted, and soon the Lion was free.
Tikus mengenali suara itu, dan dengan cepat ia menemukan Singa sedang berjuang dalam jaring. Berlari menuju salah satu tali besar yang mengikatnya, ia menggigitinya hingga putus, dan segera Singa itu pun bebas.
"You laughed when I said I would repay you," said the Mouse. "Now you see that even a little Mouse can help a great Lion."
"Kau tertawa ketika aku berkata akan membalas budimu," kata Tikus. "Sekarang kau lihat bahwa bahkan seekor Tikus kecil pun bisa menolong seekor Singa yang besar."
A kindness is never wasted.
Kebaikan tidak pernah sia-sia.
