The mice who freed the elephants

Told in English, Telugu.

Long, long ago, near a big blue lake, there was a quiet old village where no people lived anymore. The houses were empty and the walls were crumbly. But it was not really empty. It was full of mice! Hundreds and hundreds of little mice lived there, in tiny holes and cosy corners.

Not far away, in the green forest, lived a herd of elephants. Big, grey, gentle elephants, with long trunks and great big feet.

Every day, the elephants felt thirsty. And every day, they walked to the big blue lake for a drink. Their path went right through the mice's village. Thump, thump, thump went their big feet.

Oh dear! The thumping feet squashed the little mouse homes. The holes caved in. The baby mice squeaked and hid. The mice were so worried.

The mouse king was a wise old mouse with grey whiskers. He said, "I will go and talk to the elephant king."

So the tiny mouse king walked all the way to the forest. He stood in front of the huge elephant king and looked up, and up, and up.

"Great king," he said in his small voice, "when your herd walks to the lake, your feet break our homes. Please, could you take another path? And one day, if you ever need us, we will help you."

The elephant king laughed a soft, kind laugh. How could little mice ever help big elephants? But he was a good king. "Of course," he said. "We will walk another way."

And from that day, the elephants took a different path to the lake. The mice were safe and happy again.

Big or small, a friend is a friend. Can you say it with me? Big or small, a friend is a friend.

Some time later, some men came to the forest. They wanted to take the elephants away to work for them. They set out strong, thick ropes, and when the elephants walked by, the ropes wound around their legs. The elephants pulled and pulled, but the ropes would not break. They were stuck!

The elephant king thought hard. Then he remembered the little mouse king and his promise. One small elephant had not been caught. The king said, "Run, little one! Go to the mouse village and ask them to come."

The little elephant ran as fast as he could. When the mouse king heard the news, he did not wait even one moment. "Everyone, come!" he called. "Our friends need us!"

And out they came. Hundreds and hundreds of mice, scurrying, hurrying, running through the grass, all the way to the trapped elephants.

Then the mice did what mice do best. They began to gnaw. Nibble, nibble, nibble went their tiny teeth. Nibble, nibble, nibble on every rope. One rope snapped. Then another. Then another! Soon every single rope was chewed right through.

The elephants shook their legs. They were free! They lifted their trunks high and trumpeted with joy.

The elephant king bent down, very low, to the little mouse king. "Thank you, my friend," he said. "I laughed when you said you would help us. Now I know. Even the smallest friend can do the biggest kindness."

The mouse king smiled and twitched his whiskers. "You were kind to us first," he said. "So we were kind to you."

From that day on, the elephants and the mice were the best of friends. The elephants walked carefully around the mouse village, and the mice always kept one little ear open, in case their big friends ever needed them again.

Big or small, a friend is a friend. Shall we say it once more, softly, before we sleep? Big or small, a friend is a friend.