Once, in a certain town, there lived a little mouse. And in those parts there was an incredibly beautiful ocean.
The ocean was a true helper to people, giving them fish and letting them travel 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, however, often tried to show that arguing with them was dangerous...
The mouse loved to sit on the shore. Each time he brought with him a beautiful 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 there was no greater joy than seeing its little friend again and again.
Yes, they were good friends: the ocean of incredible beauty and strength, and the small, 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 little paws to make their way through the snow to the shore, but the mouse could not leave his friend without a visit. In rain or snowfall, no matter what, he came to the place where his friend sang his song. Because nothing is more important than time and attention, and support when it is hard, which we can give to those who are dear to us. More than once the mouse said, sitting on the shore of the ocean:
Someday you will forget your little friend, forget the warmth of a soul, the eyes that look at you while feeling a special tenderness and wishing 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 just to imagine that my friend the ocean will forget me, for I have no other ocean. And there are no better friends than you...
The ocean answered the mouse, gently enveloping his paws in a wave:
Silly little mouse. I could never forget your warmth, the kind words you gave me, the flowers and bright leaves you brought that adorned my waves. I will never forget your friendship.
The mouse smiled faintly. He knew that one day the ocean, made proud by its strength, like other oceans, would forget its small, weak friend.
So the little one spent day after day on the shore and grieved that one day this would come to an end. And then that day came. A proud eagle flew to the shore, looked around, spread its strong wings and said:
You are an ocean, and you haven't 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 speaking, 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. Without fear, they love me 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, all of that is not for me.
The eagle flapped its wings and circled above the ocean:
Fool, that is how all oceans behave, which is why they bear this proud name. And people less often sail across their expanses with their ships, afraid to be lost forever in the endlessly beautiful world of their waves. But they are not afraid of you, knowing you will not harm them and they can always return home. Didn't you want to rest from the ships that move across your waters? Didn't you want, just once, to show people your strength? 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 coming and going will not stop until I show my power. Then people will fear me. And in truth, what kind of ocean am I if not a single ship or single person has felt the force of my waves or remained forever in the endless depths of my waters? Perhaps the eagle is right. People must understand that I am no worse than my brother oceans.
Having finished his thoughts, the ocean heard the familiar pattering of little paws, but after the eagle's words the mouse no longer had any value to it, and his friendship only irritated it, because it made its waters weaker.
The joyful mouse approached the ocean, but the wave did not gently envelop his little paws. Instead it pushed him away with force, so that the mouse fell onto the sand on his gray 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 have no need of friends. A little mouse cannot be a friend to a boundless, mighty ocean. Get lost, I am telling you nicely. It is time for me to show my might 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, not understanding how his friend could have changed so much in just a few hours. But what can one do? If they do not want to see you, should you force yourself on them? The mouse knew this moment would come one day, but that did not make losing a dear friend any easier.
As the mouse walked toward his burrow, he suddenly noticed a little girl on a hill who was crying for some reason. 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 closely, said:
My name is Mari. My friend Erik went out to fish, and the ocean, always our calm and kind friend, suddenly went wild. Erik is about to drown in his tiny little boat, tossed about on enormous and frightening 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 any longer, go on your way.
But the mouse had no intention of leaving. He had to help the girl and talk to the ocean, which he still considered his friend. Perhaps he could persuade the ocean to calm down, and it would save Erik.
You are wrong, Mari. Though I am small, I can help you. I only need a little boat that fits my size. The ocean and I are old friends, but someone told it that it must be frighteningly powerful. And it, made proud by the strength hidden in its waves, hurt its friend and may ruin many ships and people, Erik included. 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 the friends you and I have.
And as for Erik, I know him, he is very kind. He always treated me to the most delicious fruits and berries, and cheese too. And he plays beautiful melodies on the guitar, and I love listening to his music. I only need a little boat...
The girl looked at the mouse with hope:
Little one, that would be wonderful! I will give you a boat, for Erik always has small boats that he gives to the neighborhood boys. He gave me one too, and I will bring it right now.
The girl brought a little boat from home, and together with the mouse she set off to the ocean's shore. The ocean was raging, and it seemed that its waves would leave nothing whole. Mari and the mouse watched in horror as, far away, Erik's barely visible boat rocked on the waves.
Without a moment's hesitation 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 Erik, but behind the enormous waves nothing could be seen from his small boat. The mouse did not know how to begin talking to the ocean so that it would hear him and Erik could return home, so he began like this:
My friend ocean, you are still my friend. It is unlikely that, puffed up with your strength, you will hear 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 what you were! 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 Erik, 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 little mouse's boat capsized, and the little one ended up in the water.
The mouse exhausted his strength and could no longer use his paws to stay on the surface. Slipping beneath the waves of the ocean, he managed to say only this:
Forgive me, ocean, it seems I was a bad friend. Let Erik go home, do not take him from those who hold him dear. On the shore, Mari, his faithful friend, is waiting for him...
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 onto the shore at Mari's feet, whispered guiltily:
How could I have done this? I am not like all the other oceans. No ship or boat should sink in my waters. That is my strength, that is what makes me unique. How could I hurt a friend by trying to be cruel like my brothers. Forgive me, little mouse, I should never have said words that hurt any friend to hear. My brave little one, to save another's friendship and return Mari her friend, who could have perished in my waves, you were ready to perish yourself, just so that I would hear you. Forgive me, open your eyes, I want to see you happy again.
But the mouse did not open his eyes. Mari wept, holding him in her hands, and did not even notice that Erik had come ashore from his boat. The boy approached Mari, saw the mouse and recognized him at once. It was he who came to listen to his guitar, there could be no doubt.
Erik carefully took the little creature into his palms. He knew exactly how to help his rescuer, and after doing everything necessary, he managed to bring him back to life. The mouse opened his eyes. Seeing Erik, he was overjoyed and nestled against the boy's palm. And Mari 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 Mari, my best friend. I will never forget your brave 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 Erik, setting the little one down on the sandy shore.
Thank you for bringing me my friend! I am so glad that Erik is alive and that no harm came to him. I can only add that I will always be glad to see you too, echoed Mari.
The mouse was very glad, so he simply looked at the two of them, pleased that he had managed to save the one who was dear to the girl.
I am glad you are no longer crying, Mari. And I am also glad that my friend heard me, squeaked the mouse.
It is time for us to go. Until we meet again, little mouse! Until we meet again, ocean! Always stay yourself! said Erik and Mari, heading home.
Until we meet again, may your path be kind! said the ocean and the mouse, bidding farewell.
The boy and the girl went away, and the mouse remained on the shore.
How beautiful you are, my friend, when your waves do not rage but gently touch the shore, rocking boats and ships upon you. I recognize you among countless others, because only you are so kind, a true helper, and not a hostile water giant that frightens everyone and thinks only of itself.
The ocean was glad that the mouse was beside it, alive. As usual, it tenderly touched his little paws with a wave.
I am not glad myself that I decided to be like my brothers, having listened to the proud eagle. I am different, I am kind, raging is not in my nature. Forgive me, I hurt you and nearly destroyed you and Erik. 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 that there is no need to be like other oceans to bear this proud name. For you are the best of oceans precisely because you are kind. So never change, and remain yourself...
This story about the friendship of the mouse and the ocean tells, my dear reader, how important it is to cherish true friends, of whom there are not so many. About how important it is to remain 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.
