Aesop's Funny Fables - Eric Braun - Black Rabbit Books

Aesop’s Funny Fables

           n a n d
  e   L io
h         t h e Mouse
T

    E TO LD
        Eric Braun

Hi Jinx is published by Black Rabbit Books
P.O. Box 3263, Mankato, Minnesota, 56002.
www.blackrabbitbooks.com
Copyright © 2021 Black Rabbit Books

Jen Besel, editor; Michael Sellner, interior designer;
Catherine Cates, cover designer; Omay Ayres,

                                                                                 CO NT EN T S
photo researcher

All rights reserved. No part of this book may
be reproduced in any form without written
permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Braun, Eric, author. | Aesop.
Title: The lion and the mouse retold / by Eric Braun.
Description: Mankato, Minnesota : Black Rabbit Books, [2021] |
Series: Hi jinx. Aesop’s funny fables | Includes bibliographical references. |
Audience: Ages 8-12. | Audience: Grades 4-6. | Summary: Two retellings
(one modern, one traditional) of the classic fable in which a tiny mouse
helps a mighty lion, who once showed her mercy, escape from a trap.
Includes discussion questions and examines the moral of the fable.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019044669 (print) | LCCN 2019044670 (ebook) |                   CHAPTER 1
ISBN 9781623103057 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781644664018 (paperback) |
ISBN 9781623103996 (ebook)
Subjects: CYAC: Fables. | Folklore.                                                Story Time!. . . . . . . . . . .4
Classification: LCC PZ8.2.B66 Li 2021 (print) |
LCC PZ8.2.B66 (ebook) | DDC 398.2—dc23                                             CHAPTER 2
LC record available at
https://lccn.loc.gov/2019044669
LC ebook record available at                                                       Aesop’s Fable. . . . . . . .18
https://lccn.loc.gov/2019044670
                                                                                   CHAPTER 3
Printed in the United States. 1/20
                                                                                   Get in on the Hi Jinx. .22
Image Credits
Alamy: Pictures Now, 18–19; Shutterstock:                                          Other Resources.   . . . . . . . . . .24
Aluna1, 17; anfisa focusova, 10–11;
Angeliki Vel, 5, 16–17; Christopher Hall, 5, 6,
9,; Dualororua, Cover, 20–21; Fourleaflover, 9;
GraphicsRF, Cover, 20–21; Katerina Davidenko,
14–15; Marta Jonina, Back Cover, 3, 6, 23;
mejnak, 14–15; Memo Angeles, Cover, 1, 2–3,
4–5, 6, 8–9, 10, 13, 15, 16–17, 19, 20–21, 22, 23;
MSSA, 16–17; NotionPic, 5, 9,; Pasko Maksim,
Back Cover, 24; picoStudio, 8, 9; Pitju, 21, 23;
Ron Dale, 4, 18, 22; Simakova Elena, 4–5; Teguh
Mujiono, 6; Vjom, 5; your, 8–9; Every effort
has been made to contact copyright holders for
material reproduced in this book. Any omissions
will be rectified in subsequent printings if notice is
given to the publisher.

a p te   r1

                 me !
        h
              Ti
      C

      Sto r y
      The sun was shining, and it was a
    beautiful day. The lion had just had a
    lovely meal, and he was sleepy. It was
    a perfect time for a nap. He put in his
    earbuds and put on some music.
    A little hip-hop beat always helped
    him sleep.
      The lion was dreaming of steak
    when a tiny mouse came into the
    clearing. The mouse heard music,
    but she couldn’t tell where it
    was coming from. As she
    skittered up a hill, the
    music got louder.

4

The mouse was so small, she didn’t
know the hill was actually a lion. But
she did know she loved the music she
was hearing. The little mouse started
swaying to the beat. Then she started
tapping her foot. Then she started
jumping and flailing. “This song is my
jam!” she squealed.
  Suddenly, the hill began to move.
At first it wiggled. Then it jiggled. And
finally, it exploded upward.
  “I’ve made a mistake!” wailed the
mouse as she flew into the air.
  “Where’s the steak?” roared the lion.
He was still a little sleepy.

                                            7

The little mouse landed with a thud.
    Then the lion pounced.
      “How dare you wake me!” the lion
    said. “You’re a good-for-nothing
    snack bite.”
      “Not true!” the mouse said.
    “Mice are good for lots of
    things. I can crawl into small
    places and fix things.”
      “Who cares?” the lion said. “I’d
                                                                          u t  a  story
    rather eat you and use your tail as                       l l ya ‘b
                                                                        o
                                                                                    know
                                                                                            .
                                                       e  t e             h o u l d
    a toothpick.”                              Let m ink you s self when
                                                        th                   y
                                                that I hillin’ by m low.                          t h o u ght,
                                                         c                    ts               tI
      “I can entertain you!” the mouse           I was some bea                     s a f e spo fe
                                                         rd                      a              sa
                                                  I hea            u p a hill, aws, and
    said. The lion’s earbuds had fallen out.               bed                    cl
                                                   I clim hill, it had
                                                            he
    But music still blared through them.            But t
                                                        w  a s    NOT!
                                                     it
    The mouse began to sing along.

8                                                                                                                9