The Monk and the Little Mouse
A monk kept his food in a bowl hanging high from the ceiling.
Every night a little mouse leapt all the way up and took some.
The monk was puzzled. How could such a small creature jump so high?
A visitor said, "He must have a great store of grain. A full store gives him courage."
They found the mouse's hidden pile and moved it away.
That night the mouse could not jump at all. It was never the legs, said the visitor. It was the confidence.
What we have inside changes what we believe we can do.
Understanding OthersDid you know?
A house mouse can jump nearly 30 centimetres straight up, many times its own height.
Try this at home
Think of one thing you have got better at. Say it out loud to yourself.
Questions to talk about
Ask these after reading. The answer is underneath each one.
Where did the monk keep his food?
Answer: In a bowl hung high
Why could the mouse jump so high?
Answer: He had a hidden store of grain
What is the lesson?
Answer: Confidence changes what we can do
Bring this story to life
In the Superkids app your child reads this story with pictures, hears it read aloud, answers the questions as a game, and earns stars for every story finished.
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