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.
一只狮子在森林里睡觉，它硕大的脑袋枕在两只前爪上。
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.
一只胆小的老鼠冷不防碰上了它，惊慌之中急着逃命，竟从狮子的鼻子上跑了过去。狮子被惊醒了，愤怒地伸出巨大的爪子按住这个小东西，想要杀死它。
"Spare me!" begged the poor Mouse. "Please let me go, and some day I will surely repay you."
“饶了我吧！”可怜的老鼠恳求道，“求求你放我走，总有一天我一定会报答你的。”
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.
狮子觉得一只老鼠居然想要报答自己，实在是可笑极了。不过它很宽宏大量，最终还是放老鼠走了。
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.
几天后，狮子在森林里捕猎时，被猎人的网困住了。它无法挣脱，愤怒的咆哮声响彻整片森林。
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.
老鼠认出了这声音，很快便找到了在网中挣扎的狮子。她跑到捆住狮子的一根粗绳旁，一点点咬断了它，狮子很快就获得了自由。
"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."
“我说我会报答你的时候，你还笑话我，”老鼠说，“现在你明白了吧，就算是一只小老鼠，也能帮上一只大狮子的忙。”
A kindness is never wasted.
善意从不会白费。
