The Lion the Mouse and the Fox

It was the hottest day of the summer. The lion lay down in his den, and soon he was snoring.

Along came a mouse. Pit-pat, pit-pat, up through the thick mane. Pit-pat, pit-pat, over one ear and then the other.

The lion woke with a snort. He leapt up and shook himself so hard that the dust flew. "Where is it?" he roared. He hunted behind the rocks and under the old bones. He searched every corner of his den, and he poked his great nose into every crack.

A fox stopped at the door to watch. He began to grin. "A fine lion you are," he said, "to be frightened of a mouse!"

The lion turned slowly and looked down at him. "I am not afraid of the mouse," he said. "It is his cheek I will not stand for. Nobody runs over my ears without asking."