The Mice Council – A Lesson in Wisdom from an Engaging English Tale

Summary: Long ago, in the mice kingdom, there was a fearsome enemy—a giant and cunning cat. The mice lived in fear until one day, during a council, they came up with a brilliant idea: to hang a bell around the cat’s neck to hear its approach. But as it turned out, devising a plan is one thing, and carrying it out is quite another.

In a small house under the floorboards lived an entire community of mice. Their lives were filled with anxiety and fear, for nearby lurked a large gray cat. Every morning, the cat would sneak through the house, waiting for the chance to catch an unwary mouse. As a result, the mice were too scared to venture out of their shelter, even for crumbs.

One evening, the elder of the mice called for a council. “We cannot live in fear any longer!” he began. “We must find a way to protect ourselves from this terrible cat. Does anyone have any ideas?”

The mice began tossing around suggestions. One proposed building a fortress out of cheese scraps to hide in. Others talked about trying to lure the cat out of the house. Suddenly, a young mouse raised its paw and exclaimed, “What if we hang a bell around the cat’s neck? Then we’d always hear it coming!”

The council was thrilled. It was a brilliant suggestion! Everyone applauded the young mouse, praising its cleverness. “Yes, this will solve our problem!” they said. “With a bell, the cat will never be able to sneak up on us again!”

But the excitement didn’t last long. The elder, looking at the jubilant mice, raised his voice: “And who among you is willing to hang the bell on the cat?” The room fell silent. The mice exchanged glances, but no one volunteered. Finally, one mouse whispered, “It’s too dangerous. No one could do it and come back alive...”

The idea that had seemed so brilliant suddenly amounted to nothing. The council dispersed, and the cat remained the terror of the mice kingdom. From then on, the mice often said to one another, “It’s easy to come up with a plan, but carrying it out is a different matter entirely.”

Moral of the story: Even the most brilliant idea can be useless if no one is willing to act on it. The ability to act is more important than just talking.

Discussion Questions:

• Why was it so important for the mice to hear the cat approaching?
• Why didn’t any of the mice want to hang the bell on the cat?
• Do you think there could have been another way to protect the mice from the cat?