Lionhearted

 The lion couple was away leaving the little cubs behind in the den. The cubs were hungry and were crying for mother.

A goat, in her motherly instinct, had pity on them and fed them with her own milk. After it she started playing with them, so that they do not go far from the den.

After some time, the parents came back. Seeing the goat, they wanted to hunt it.

But the cubs shouted, don't kill. She saved us by her own milk.

The lions were very pleased and let the goat go.

Thereafter the goat became a friend of the lions. She even reached for leaves in the high branches standing on the back of the lion.

A hawk was very impressed seeing the goat's relation with the lions.

It asked the goat, how could you be a friend of the lions? The goat said, I had once saved the cubs, and the lions are still grateful.

The hawk thought, I also will save souls in distress.

One day, during heavy rains, it saw some small mice struggling to survive. It took them under its wings. The mice were saved.

When rain stopped, the mice left, but the hawk discovered that when they were under his wings, they had cut all the feathers. The hawk was unable to fly.

He asked the goat, I saved their lives, but they left me crippled. You had saved life of cubs and all the lions are still grateful to you. Why is it so?

The goat replied, if you want gratitude, help lions, not mice. Only the lion hearted reciprocate, not mouse hearted.

You can not expect lion's character in mice.