Λέων ἀγρεύσας μῦν ἔμελλε δειπνήσειν·
δ᾽ οἰκότριψ κλὼψ ἐγγὺς ὢν μόρου τλήμων·
τοιοῖσδε μύθοις ἱκέτευε τονθρύζων
ἐλάφους πρέπει σοι καὶ κεραφόρους ταύρους
θηρῶντα νηδὺν σαρκὶ τῇδε πιαίνειν·
μυὸς δὲ δεῖπνον οὐδ᾽ ἄκρων ἐπιψαῦσαι
χειλῶν ἅλις σῶν. ἀλλὰ λίσσομαι, φείδου.
ἴσως χάριν σοι τήνδε μικρὸς ὢν τίσω.”
γελάσας δ᾽ θὴρ παρῆκε τὸν ἱκέτην ζώειν·
καὶ φιλαγρευταῖς ἐμπεσὼν νεηνίσκοις
ἐδικτυώθη καὶ σφαλεὶς ἐδεσμεύθη.
μῦς δὲ λάθρῃ χηραμοῦ προπηδήσας,
στερρόν τ᾽ ὀδοῦσι βραχυτάτοις βρόχον κείρας,
ἔλυσε τὸν λέοντα, τοῦ τὸ φῶς βλέψαι
ἐπάξιον δοὺς μισθὸν ἀντιζωγρήσας.

A lion, having hunted down a mouse, was about to dine on him. But the captive-from-birth, a thief, being near death, was stout-hearted. With words such as these he begged, babbling, "It is fitting for you, once you have hunted deer and horned bulls, to fatten your stomach on such flesh. But, as supper, a mouse is not even sufficient to touch upon the edges of your lips. Yet I beg you, spare me. Despite being small, I will equally repay this with a favor to you." And, laughing, the beast allowed the suppliant to live. When he (the lion) fell in with youths, also lovers-of-the-hunt, he was caught in a net and, after being secured, was tied up. But the mouse, after having secretly sprung forth from a hole and cut the hard knot with his teeth most tiny, freed the lion, giving him a repayment worth 'seeing the light' by saving his life in turn.