A heedless rat emerged from undergrowth and found himself between a lion’s paws.
The king of animals behaved on this occasion with a regal grace, and spared the rodent’s life.
This good deed didn’t go to waste. You mightn’t think a lion would require a rat’s assistance ever, but it happened one day that the lion was entrapped within a net. His frightful roars availed him nothing.
But the rat came running, and put his nibbling teeth to work. The net’s knots came apart; the lion thus was freed.
We see that time and patience more achieve than anger and brute force.
This too we’ve learned: Be kind—for kindness often is returned.