There once lived a little mouse in a town. And in those parts there was an incredibly beautiful ocean.
The ocean was a true helper to people. It gave them fish and let them sail to other lands. Not a single ship sank in that ocean, for it was kind and honest.
It had no pride and no desire to show its power to people. Other oceans often tried to show that arguing with them was dangerous...
The little mouse loved to sit on the shore. Each time, he brought with him a pretty flower or a bright leaf as a gift for the ocean. And the ocean loved to gently touch the mouse with its waves, singing him its beautiful song. There was no greater happiness for the mouse than meeting the ocean, and for the ocean, no greater joy than seeing its little friend again and again.
Yes, they were good friends: the ocean, incredibly beautiful and powerful, and the little, unremarkable mouse. The little mouse was dear to the ocean, and the vast, boundless ocean was dear to the mouse.
When winter came, it was harder for the tiny paws to make their way through the snow to the shore, but the mouse could not leave his friend without a visit. In the rain, in the snowfall, no matter what, he came to the place where his friend sang its song. For there is nothing more important than time, attention and support when life is hard, and we cannot give these to those we hold dear. More than once the mouse said, sitting on the ocean shore:
Someday you will forget your little friend, forget the warmth of my heart and the eyes that look at you with a special tenderness, wishing you only the best... You will forget, because there is nothing special about a little mouse, just like hundreds of other little mice... And it hurts me to imagine that my friend the ocean will forget me, for I have no other oceans. And there is no better friend than you...
The ocean answered the mouse, gently wrapping his paws in a wave:
Silly little mouse. I could never forget your warmth, your kind words, the flowers you gave me and the bright leaves that decorated my waves. I will never forget your friendship.
The mouse smiled softly. He knew that one day the ocean, puffed up with its power like the other oceans, would forget its small and weak friend.
So the little one spent day after day on the shore, sad that someday this would come to an end. And then that day arrived. A proud bald eagle flew down to the shore, looked around, spread its strong wings and said:
You are an ocean, and you have not sunk a single ship. People are not afraid of you at all, which means they do not value what you give them. Take an example from the other oceans. Then you will become proud and strong, and perhaps the best among oceans!
The ocean listened carefully to the eagle, and as soon as it finished, it replied:
I am good precisely because I am not like the others. People value what I give them, and I do not understand why they should fear me. They love me without fear and do not harm me. Why should I rage, sink ships, instill fear in people's hearts, take lives and make families suffer? Is that right? No, no, none of that is for me.
The eagle flapped its wings and circled above the ocean:
Fool, that is how all oceans behave, and that is why they carry this proud name. People rarely sail across their vast waters with their ships, fearing they will be lost forever in the endlessly beautiful world of their waves. But they do not fear you, knowing you will not harm them and they can always return home. Don't you want to rest from the ships walking on your waters? Don't you want to show people your strength just once? Do it, and become a true ocean!
The eagle flew away, and the ocean fell into thought:
The eagle is right. I am tired of the ships, and their traffic will not stop until I show my power. Then people will fear me. And honestly, what kind of ocean am I if not a single ship or person has ever felt the force of my waves or been lost in the endless depths of my waters forever? Perhaps the eagle is right. People need to understand that I am no worse than my brother oceans.
Having finished its thoughts, the ocean heard the familiar pattering of tiny paws, but after the eagle's words it no longer valued the mouse at all. The friendship only annoyed it, as if it made its waters weaker.
The joyful mouse approached the ocean, but instead of gently wrapping his tiny paws, a wave pushed him away with force, so that the mouse fell onto the sand on his grey back. The mouse did not understand what had happened. He stood up, shook himself off and decided to stay in place. But the ocean said to him:
Go away, I do not need friends. A little mouse cannot be a friend to a boundless, powerful ocean. Get lost, I am telling you nicely. It is time for me to show my power to people, as my brother oceans do. It is ridiculous for an ocean to be so kind and, on top of that, to be friends with a mouse!
The mouse, upset, trudged home, unable to understand how his friend could have changed so much in just a few hours. But what can one do when someone does not want to see you? Should one force oneself on others? The mouse had known this moment would come someday, but losing a dear friend was no easier for that.
As the mouse made his way to his burrow, he suddenly noticed a little girl on a hill, who for some reason was crying. The mouse sensed how hard it was for her and decided to find out what had happened. Perhaps he could help. The girl noticed him at once, and the mouse squeaked softly:
What is your name? Why are you crying, what happened?
The girl wiped her tears and, looking at the mouse who was watching her intently, said:
My name is Emma. My friend Liam went out fishing, and the ocean, always our calm and kind friend, suddenly became wild. Liam is about to drown in his tiny little boat, tossed about by the huge and terrifying waves. I doubt, little one, that you can help. And I can do nothing, because I am terribly afraid of water. I won't keep you. Go on your way.
But the mouse had no intention of leaving. He had to help the girl and speak with the ocean, which he still considered his friend. Perhaps he could persuade the ocean to calm down, and it would save Liam.
You are wrong, Emma. Although I am small, I can help you. I just need a little boat to fit my size. The ocean and I are old friends, but someone told it that it must be frighteningly powerful. And it, puffed up with the strength hidden in its waves, has hurt its friend and may destroy many ships and people, including Liam. I will try to persuade it to become its old self again. Of course, I am not sure it will hear me, but I will do everything possible to bring back our friendship, yours and mine.
And I know Liam, he is very kind. He always treated me to the most delicious fruit and berries, and maple cheddar too. And he plays beautiful melodies on the guitar, and I love listening to his music. If only I had a little boat...
The girl looked at the mouse with hope:
Little one, that would be wonderful! I will give you a boat, because Liam always has little boats that he gives to the neighbourhood boys. He gave me one too, and I will bring it now.
The girl brought a little boat from home, and together with the mouse she set off to the ocean shore. The ocean was raging, and it seemed nothing would be left whole by its waves. Emma and the mouse watched in horror as Liam's barely visible boat rocked on the waves in the distance.
Without a moment's thought, the mouse jumped into the little boat, and the girl, understanding everything, set the tiny boat on the water. The mouse peered into the distance, trying to make out Liam, but behind the huge waves nothing could be seen from his little boat. The mouse did not know how to start talking with the ocean so that it would hear him and Liam could return home, so he began like this:
My friend ocean, you are still my friend. I doubt that, puffed up with your power, you will listen to me, but still... You were a special ocean, kind, helping people, calm. Now you are like the other oceans, which destroy countless lives in their waves. I beg you: become your old self again! Become a kind friend to all of us! Remember the mouse who came to you in any weather, because you are dear to him. Do not destroy Liam, he is a good boy. Please let him return home.
But the ocean was unyielding, continuing to toss the two light boats on its waves. Suddenly the mouse's little boat capsized, and the little one ended up in the water.
The mouse ran out of strength and could no longer move his paws to stay afloat. As he disappeared into the ocean's waves, he managed to say only this:
Forgive me, ocean, I was apparently a bad friend. Let Liam go home, do not take him from those who hold him dear. Emma is waiting for him on the shore, his faithful friend...
The ocean heard the mouse's words, remembered how it had hurt its friend by listening to the eagle, and realized what a brave step the little one had taken to save the boy. It stopped raging and, pushing the mouse back onto the shore at Emma's feet, whispered guiltily:
How could I? I am not like all the other oceans. Not a single ship or boat should sink in my waters. That is my strength, that is what makes me unique. How could I hurt my friend by trying to be cruel, like my brothers? Forgive me, little mouse, I should never have said words that hurt any friend. My brave little one, to save another's friendship and return to Emma her friend, who could have died in my waves, you were ready to perish yourself, just so I would hear you. Forgive me, open your eyes, I want to see you happy again.
But the mouse did not open his eyes. Emma was crying, holding him in her hands, and did not even notice Liam stepping ashore from his boat. The boy approached Emma, saw the mouse and recognized him at once. It was he who came to listen to his guitar, there was no doubt.
Liam carefully took the little creature into his palms. He knew exactly how to help his rescuer, and after doing all that was necessary, he managed to bring him back to life. The mouse opened his eyes. Seeing Liam, he was overjoyed and nestled against the boy's palm. And Emma was happy that the brave mouse was alive.
Thank you, my brave little friend, for saving me in the raging ocean and helping me return home, to my Emma, my best friend. I will never forget your courageous deed, and of course I will be glad to see you again in my home, and I will gladly play the guitar for you, said Liam, lowering the little one onto the sandy beach.
Thank you for bringing me my friend back! I am so glad Liam is alive and nothing bad happened to him. I can only add that I will always be happy to see you too, echoed Emma, agreeing with Liam.
The mouse was very glad, so he simply watched the two of them, happy that he had managed to save the one who was dear to the girl.
I am glad you are not crying anymore, Emma. And I am also glad that my friend heard me, squeaked the mouse.
It's time for us to go. See you later, mouse! See you later, ocean! Always stay true to yourself! said Liam and Emma, as they walked off to their homes.
See you later, may your path be kind! the ocean and the mouse said their goodbyes.
The boy and the girl left, and the mouse stayed on the shore.
How beautiful you are, my friend, when your waves are not raging, and gently touch the shore, rocking boats and ships on your back. I would know you among many others, because only you are so kind, a true helper, and not a frightening, self-centred, hostile water giant that thinks only of itself.
The ocean was glad that the mouse was beside it, alive. As usual, it gently touched his little paws with a wave.
I am not happy with myself for deciding to be like my brothers, after listening to the proud eagle. I am different, I am kind, raging does not suit me. Forgive me, I hurt you and nearly destroyed you and Liam. Whether you can still consider me a friend, I do not know, but I have no one dearer than you. And never again, no matter what anyone says, will I hurt my brave little friend.
The mouse looked at the ocean. He was glad to be talking with it again.
I was not offended. I cannot be offended by someone who is dear to me. I am very glad that you understood you do not need to be like the other oceans to carry that proud name. For you are the best of oceans precisely because you are kind. So never change, and always stay yourself...
This story about the friendship of the mouse and the ocean tells us, my dear reader, how important it is to cherish true friends, who are not so many. It tells us that it is important to stay yourself, without trying to be like everyone else.
Remember this tale as an important lesson, carefully passed on to you by me, who heard it from the wind that knew the mouse and the ocean. And cherish your true friend.
