The Lion, The Mouse and Sleeping Bear

Once upon a time, in a lush and vibrant forest, there lived a small but clever mouse named Milo. His days were usually peaceful, except for the snoring—oh, the thunderous, earth-shaking snoring! It came from a massive bear named Bruno, who had been hibernating in a nearby cave for months. Despite the arrival of summer, Bruno was still fast asleep, his snores echoing throughout the forest.

Milo had not slept a wink all winter due to the incessant noise. He tossed and turned each night, trying everything from covering his tiny ears with leaves to building a soundproof nest, but nothing worked. One day, exhausted and desperate, Milo decided enough was enough.

"Mr. Bear, hey Mr. Bear!" he squeaked, standing outside Bruno's cave. "Summer is here! You can wake up now!" But Bruno continued to snore, oblivious to the world. Determined, Milo found a bugle, climbed to the mouth of the cave, and blew it with all his might. The sound echoed through the forest, but Bruno still slept soundly, not even a twitch.

Frustrated, Milo wandered through the forest, grumbling to himself, when he bumped into his animal friends—a curious squirrel, a wise owl, and a playful rabbit.

“What’s wrong, Milo? Why do you look so upset?” asked the squirrel.

“Oh, don’t ask!” Milo sighed. “All winter, I couldn’t sleep because of that big bear’s snoring, and now, even though it’s summer, he still won’t wake up!”

The owl, perched wisely on a branch, suggested, “Maybe you should ask the lion for help.”

“The lion?” Milo’s eyes widened in fear. “Why would I talk to him?”

“Because his roar is so powerful, it could wake anyone from the deepest slumber!” the rabbit chimed in, hopping excitedly.

Though the thought of approaching the lion scared him, Milo realized it might be his only chance. With a deep breath, he set off towards the lion's den, his heart pounding in his chest.

When he arrived, Milo found the mighty lion, Leo, lounging in the sun in front of his cave, his golden mane gleaming in the light. But seeing the lion’s imposing figure, Milo hesitated. Just as he was about to turn back, he accidentally stepped on a dry twig, snapping it with a loud crack.

Leo’s piercing eyes opened, and his deep, rumbling voice filled the air. "What are you doing in front of my cave, little mouse?" he growled, his voice sending a chill down Milo's spine.

"Um… well… King Leo," Milo stammered, trembling. "I came to ask for your help. My neighbor, the big bear, won’t wake up, and his snoring has kept me awake for months. Your roar could surely wake him up!"

Leo looked down at Milo, unimpressed. "You? You're not even a snack to me, little mouse. Why should I waste my time helping you?"

Feeling defeated, Milo turned to leave when he noticed something strange—Leo was scratching himself. And not just a casual scratch; the lion was furiously itching all over, rubbing against a tree, his magnificent mane shaking wildly.

Curious, Milo crept closer. “Mr. Lion, what’s wrong?”

Leo, clearly embarrassed, growled, “Nothing! Go away, mouse.”

But Milo's sharp eyes noticed the problem right away—fleas. Dozens of tiny fleas were hopping in and out of Leo's fur. "You’ve got fleas!" Milo exclaimed. "I can help you get rid of them."

Leo scoffed. "You? Help me? A tiny mouse? Ridiculous."

But Milo was determined. He scampered up Leo's mane, ignoring the lion's protests. "What are you doing?!" Leo roared, trying to shake him off. "Get off of me!"

Undeterred, Milo carefully combed through the lion's thick fur, throwing out flea after flea. It wasn’t long before Leo's scratching became unbearable, and he bolted towards a nearby lake, plunging in to soothe the itching. Milo, still clinging to the lion’s mane, barely managed to avoid being swept away by the water.

"Get out of the lake, Mr. Lion, or I’ll drown!" Milo squeaked. Leo leaped out of the water, shaking himself dry, but this sent poor Milo flying off his back.

 Despite the chaos, Milo climbed back up and continued his work until he had removed every last flea.

“How do you feel now?” Milo asked, panting with exhaustion.

Leo stretched, realizing the itching had finally stopped. "Better," he admitted. "Much better." He glanced down at Milo, his voice softer. "Thank you. I was wrong to treat you like you were insignificant. You’ve done more for me than I could’ve imagined."

"You're welcome, Mr. Lion," Milo said with a smile. "Now, can you help me wake up that bear?"

Feeling grateful, Leo agreed. He let Milo hop onto his back, and the two headed to Bruno’s cave together.

 When they arrived, the snoring was louder than ever.

"Huh, that really is loud," Leo said, impressed. He took a deep breath and let out the most powerful roar the forest had ever heard. The cave shook, trees trembled, and birds flew from their nests. Bruno shot up from his sleep, eyes wide with confusion.

"What's happening? Is it an earthquake? Is it summer already?" Bruno bumbled, stumbling out of his cave.

All the forest animals, who had gathered to watch, burst into laughter. Even Milo couldn't help but giggle at the sight of the confused bear. From that day on, Milo and Leo became unlikely friends, and Bruno, finally awake, apologized for his snoring.

And Milo? He finally got a good night’s sleep.