One fine day the Warthogs (疣猪) were walking among some trees.
"Remember," said Mr. Warthog, "this is a dangerous place. Always stick to the paths and never go off exploring things that don't concern you." Suddenly, a terrible noise came into their ears.
"Baby Warthog, I've warned you before," said Mrs. Warthog. "Say pardon when you burp!"
"That wasn't me," said Baby Warthog. "It was the lion up there!"
Sure enough, a lion was hanging upside down from the tree above them. He was caught in a trap (陷阱).
"Please," said Lion, "let me down. I've been up here for three days and I think I'm hungry and thirsty to death."
"How silly do you think we are?" said Mr. Warthog. "If we let you down, you will eat us!"
"I promise I won't!" pleaded Lion. "I am so weak for lack of food, so I am as harmless as a small cat."
So the Warthogs undid the trap and set the Lion free.
"Thank you so much," said Lion. "Dear Mr. Warthog, sweet Mrs. Warthog and lovely, delicious, good-enough-to-eat Baby Warthog, I am so grateful, I could just gobble you up!"
Mrs. Warthog didn't like the sound of that. She didn't like the way Lion was looking at Baby Warthog and licking his lips either.
"Like this?" said Mrs. Warthog, and she pulled hard so that the rope went tight and Lion was once again hanging upside down from the tree.
"What did you do that for?" said Lion.
"My family and I set you free," said Mrs. Warthog, "and you were going to thank us by eating Baby Warthog here! What an ungrateful guy you are!" The Warthogs turned their backs and walked away with their noses in the air. Lion hung upside down like that for another three days until Grass Mouse came by.
"Excuse me," said Lion, who was now so weak for lack of food that his voice was just a whisper. "Would you please be kind enough to help me down? I promise I won't hurt you."
Grass Mouse's mother had told him to stay away from lions, but she had also said that he should always help other animals in trouble. Grass Mouse climbed up the tree and with his sharp front teeth he gnawed through the rope that was holding Lion.
"Thank you so much," said the Lion when he was back on solid ground.
Lion wasn't going to make the same mistake twice, so instead of thinking about eating Grass Mouse, he promised to help him whenever he is in trouble.