The Sage's Changing Pet
A kind sage rescued a little mouse from a hawk and took her home.
A cat frightened her, so he turned her into a cat. Then a dog frightened her.
So he turned her into a dog, and then, when a tiger came near, into a fine tiger.
But the tiger still jumped at every noise, because inside she was still a small mouse.
"Changing your outside does not change your heart," said the sage gently.
So he turned her back, and she lived happily in her own little hole.
Changing how you look does not change who you are inside.
Being YourselfDid you know?
This tale is over a thousand years old and is told in many countries as The Hermit and the Mouse.
Try this at home
Name one thing you like about yourself that has nothing to do with how you look.
Questions to talk about
Ask these after reading. The answer is underneath each one.
What did the sage rescue?
Answer: A mouse
What was she like even as a tiger?
Answer: Still frightened inside
What is the moral?
Answer: Your outside does not change your heart
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.
Start freeNo card needed.
