A little mouse found an apple,
Under an apple tree.
It was a round and juicy one,
So, he went on an eating spree.

He ate a bit and found it fit,
To take the rest to his house.
He rolled it along, all the way,
Sans help of another mouse.

There came a part which was steep,
It was hard to push the apple up.
When he heaved it up with all his might;
It rolled back without a stop.

Tired out, and wet with sweat;
He thought it better to rest.
Then try again, after the wait;
To take the apple to his nest.

A parrot soon came flying by,
And perched on a branch above.
She watched mousie struggle hard,
Her heart was filled with love.

‘May I help you, mousie dear,
To carry your heavy load?
I can carry it up the slope,
And take it to your abode.’

‘No, and thanks,’ replied the mouse;
And carried on with his work.
Pushing and rolling it up the slope,
Till before a rock he was stuck.

He tried to manoeuvre it around,
But it slipped from his grasp.
Down the slope it went again;
Now, atop it buzzed a wasp.

The parrot came to his rescue at once,
And the wasp flew away.
‘Let me carry your load,’ said she
‘It will save your day.’

Hesitatingly the mouse allowed;
The parrot to carry his load.
He gave directions to the bird,
For reaching his abode.

He scuttered fast to his home;
Freely without his food.
While birdie took his apple ripe,
And flew above the wood.

The mouse had a long wait,
Before he saw the parrot arrive.
Now the apple was a scrap on her beak;
So, she did not need to strive.

‘You’ve eaten my apple, you greedy guts!’
Cried the mouse, fuming red.
‘I’ve taken my due for helping you,’
With an aura she said.

Then she flew up high, into the sky;
Leaving the scrap behind.
The mouse had learnt his lesson well
Which he’ll always keep in mind.

If you badly want to have something,
Depend on your efforts alone.
The results will be in your hands,
And you can take the benefits home.