The Lion and the Mouse

Complete standard story

1. A rustle under the tree

   The wood grows quiet. A lion rests beneath a tree, with one large paw near his nose. A mouse peeks out from behind a leaf. She means to go around him, but a dry leaf crackles beneath her foot. “Who is there?” asks the lion. The mouse stops, drawing her tail close. The lion looks down at his visitor and keeps his paw still. This toy-stage retelling follows two very different-sized characters as they meet a problem. Look at where they stand, then think of something the mouse could say to begin their conversation.

   What could the mouse say first?

2. An open path

   “Please let me pass,” says the mouse. “Perhaps I can help you one day.” The lion looks from his broad paw to the little creature beside it and gives a surprised laugh. Still, he moves his paw and leaves a clear path. The mouse slips between the leaves and turns to wave. Pause the telling here. Does helping always require great strength? Do not answer with a ready-made lesson just yet. Remember what these two characters can each do, and look for a problem where one small skill might make a particular difference.

   What useful skill might the mouse have?

3. A frame across the path

   A few days later, a low sound carries through the wood. The mouse follows it and finds the lion caught in a rope net. Whenever he pulls forward, the ropes tighten. “Wait,” says the mouse. Our theatre uses a thick toy frame to represent the net; it does not actually entangle a character. Choose a helping action. Will the mouse push the frame or find its fastening? A push makes it wobble, while releasing the fastening opens the way. You can repeat both actions to see whether the same choices give the same results.

   Push the frame or release its fastening?

4. The place that will loosen

   The mouse goes around the edge and stops beside a tight knot. She begins to work at the rope. In our stage, the frame slowly moves aside and the lion can step through the opening. This is a preset story action, rather than a simulation of real ropes breaking. Children should move the printed frame by hand, without using teeth or sharp tools. Replay the scene and describe its order. Why did simply pushing fail to open the way? What changed when the fastening was released? Point to the toys as you explain the difference to someone beside you.

   Which action opened a way out?

5. A place beside me

   The lion stands beneath the tree and nudges a broad leaf into the space beside him. “There is room here,” he says. The mouse sits on it, with her feet just touching its edge. Arrange this ending on your story base and take turns voicing the characters. Keep the net frame nearby; moving it by hand lets you retell the rescue. For another scene, perhaps the mouse’s paper boat gets stuck. What could the lion do? Agree on the problem and each character’s useful action before recording a line. Save the pieces for your next telling.

   How could the lion help the mouse next time?