I am a tiny creature; with tiny toes and a long tail; two small ears and a small mouth that never gets full. I sometimes sleep hungry though I try to eat everything and anything I find.

At one time I was so hungry that the only way to survive was to enter this huge mansion. It was filled with food but also with cats and other two-legged huge creatures.

It was a dangerous adventure but I had to save my life. It was the only way I could see another day.  I sneaked in and by use of my sensitive nose; I was able to locate the food.

Unfortunately one of the two-legged creatures saw me and started screaming, running around and throwing things at me!
I ducked under a cupboard, and thought I was safe.

Unfortunately, two huge cats, whose noses are as sensitive to smell as mine, came sniffing and discovered me. This time, I thought I was a dead rat, for they chased me and almost cornered me.

Fortunately, I squeezed into a small opening by the wall. I thought about the choices I had. I could either wait here until the cats lost patience and went, or I could try and dash out through an opening straight ahead of me, but at the risk of being the cats’ dinner.

I opted to go with my second option, to make a dash for the opening. I am alive today because of the risk I took. Had I not taken it, who knows what could have happened to me? That taught me a great lesson. As it is often said, ‘if we risk nothing, we gain nothing!’

Ends