One day, a little mouse was scurrying around in search of food when he came across a big basket filled with rice. His eyes widened with joy. “So much food! I’m the luckiest mouse in the world!” he squeaked.

Without wasting a moment, he squeezed through a small hole in the basket and jumped right in. He started nibbling the rice. It tasted so good that he just couldn’t stop. He ate and ate until his tiny belly grew big and round.

When he finally decided to leave, he waddled over to the hole—but oh no! He couldn’t fit through it anymore. He pushed and pulled, but his fat belly got stuck. “Oh no!” he cried. “I’ve eaten too much! I can’t get out!”

The little mouse sat down sadly inside the basket. “I should have eaten just a little,” he said to himself. “Now I’m stuck here until I become slim again.”

Day after day, he nibbled only tiny amounts of rice, waiting for his body to shrink back to its original size. Finally, after a few days, he was slim enough to squeeze through the hole and escape.

From that day on, the little mouse never let greed take over again.

Moral: Greed can trap you.