One sunny day, a tiny mouse in a blue vest ran through the forest. His name was Max. "La la la!" sang Max as he hopped over twigs. Then he heard a loud sound. "ROAR! Help! Help!" Max peeked through some leaves. He saw Leo the Lion! The big lion wore a red cape. But Leo was stuck in a net! Other animals watched from far away. Rabbit held his green scarf tight. Deer's yellow bow shook as she trembled. Owl adjusted his round glasses. "Someone must help!" said Owl. But all the big animals were too scared to go near Leo the Lion. Max looked at the trapped lion. Should he run away like the others? Or should he try to help?
Max felt scared and turned to run away. His tiny heart was beating fast! He ran past Rabbit, Deer, and Owl. "Where are you going?" asked Owl. "Home! Where it's safe!" said Max. But as he ran, he heard Leo cry again. "Please! Anyone!" Max stopped. He remembered how his mom always said that being brave means helping others, even when you're scared. He looked back through the leaves. Leo wasn't trying to look scary at all. The big lion had tears in his eyes. Max thought about what to do next.
Max took a deep breath and turned around. His tiny paws carried him back to where Leo was trapped. "H-hello," Max said in a small voice. "I want to help you." Leo's big eyes got wide. "You? But you are so small!" "Small can be good," Max said, standing tall in his blue vest. "I can look for a way to help!" The other animals watched from behind the trees. Owl's glasses gleamed. Rabbit and Deer peeked out, curious to see what the tiny mouse would do. Max looked at the big net. It was thick and strong. He could try to chew through the ropes with his sharp teeth. Or he could try to find where the net was tied and undo the knots.
Max looked at his tiny teeth. They were sharp and strong from chewing nuts and seeds. "I'll chew through the ropes!" he told Leo. Max climbed up the net. His small size helped him move fast. He found a thick rope and began to chew. "Nibble, nibble, nibble!" The rope was tough. Max's jaw got tired, but he didn't give up. "You can do it, little friend!" Leo said softly. The other animals crept closer to watch. Owl nodded wisely. Rabbit hopped a bit nearer, his green scarf fluttering. Deer took small steps forward, her yellow bow no longer shaking. After more nibbling, Max made it through one rope! But the net was still strong. He would need to chew through more ropes to free Leo. Max saw two spots where he could chew next. One was near Leo's paw, where the rope looked a bit weaker. The other was higher up, where the net was tied to a tree branch.
Max scurried up to the high branch. His tiny paws gripped the rough bark. "Be careful up there!" Leo called softly. Max found the rope tied to the branch. It was thick, but he could see that if he chewed through it, a big part of the net would loosen. "Nibble, nibble, nibble!" The forest animals watched with wide eyes. Owl flew closer to see better. "Very smart, young mouse," Owl whispered. "Very smart indeed." Max's teeth worked hard. The rope started to fray. Suddenly, there was a loud SNAP! The net sagged on one side. Leo could move his head better now! "It's working!" cheered Rabbit, jumping up and down. But the net was still holding Leo. Max saw two more spots where he could help. There was another rope by Leo's back paw, or he could try calling the other animals to help pull the loose net away.
Max looked at his forest friends and knew what to do. "Everyone, please help!" he called. "Together we can move the net!" Owl flew down and grabbed part of the net in his strong beak. Rabbit hopped over and pulled with his back legs. Even shy Deer came close and used her nose to push the net aside. Max chewed through one last rope by Leo's back paw. With a mighty SNAP, the rope broke! "Pull everyone, pull!" Max squeaked. All together, they moved the heavy net. Leo stood up, shaking his red cape free. "You saved me!" Leo smiled at Max. "Thank you, brave little friend." From that day on, Leo and Max were the best of friends. They played in the forest, shared stories, and taught everyone that being brave isn't about size - it's about having a big heart. Sometimes, on sunny afternoons, you can still see them walking together - a tiny mouse in a blue vest next to a mighty lion in a red cape, showing that friendship comes in all sizes.
