He looked about for a long time. At last he said, “I know what I shall do. I shall jump over that high bank.”
So he started to walk to the bank, and when he got there, he looked up, and it seemed very high indeed.
“If I jump over this bank,” said he, “I shall be great.”
He ran, and then sprang as high as he could into the air, and came down on top of the bank.
“Surely I am great now, since I can jump so high.” When he looked back he saw that the bank was not high at all, only a little heap of sand.
“Shame on me!” groaned the mouse. “Now I must do something this time. I shall swim across that great lake.”
He started for the lake and at last, after walking a long time, he got there.
“That lake is very big,” he thought, for he could see only part way across.
Then the little mouse began to feel proud once more.
“If I swim across that lake, all the animals will call me great.”