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The Cat, the Rooster and the Young Mouse

Aesop's Fable as Adapted by Dr. Mike Lockett, The Normal Storyteller

A very young mouse went out to see the world.  The world was much larger than he had ever imagined before he had left his nest to go outside.  Whe he came back home, he told his mother about his adventures.

"What a big world," he said.  "The animals I saw were so very different from each other.  One was really beautiful and nice.  The other was ugly and scary.  He was a monster."

"Tell me about the scary animal," said the mouse's mother.

"The monster was tearing up the ground with sharp claws on its feet when I saw it.  It had ugly red raw meat hanging from its neck and sitting on top of its head.  It kept flapping its arms against its sides like it wanted to beat me.  When it saw me looking at it, it pointed its sharp mouth at me like it wanted to eat me.  Then it screamed and roared at me.  I was so scared that I ran away."

"Tell me more," his mother said.

"I was so scared that I did not get to meet the nice animal.  She was so pretty.  She had beautiful shiny eyes and had the most beautiful fur coat.  She purred and called to me in such a nice voice and showed me her teeth when she smiled.  I feel bad that I did not get to meet her."

This is when his mother said, "I am glad you did not meet the beautiful animal.  Good looks are not everything.  That beautiful animal was a cat.  Cats love mice.  They love to eat them.  The animal might have looked nice, but you would not be here to talk to me if you had gotten closer."

"But, what about the monster?" asked the young mouse.

"That was no monster," answered his mother.  That was a rooster.  The rooster rules the barnyard.  He is your friend and was warning you to stay away from the cat."   

"I hope you remember this all your life," said the young mouse's mother.  Never judge anyone by their looks!"