In a lush garden lived a tiny mouse named Chip. Chip's favorite thing in the world was snacking on the seeds scattered around the garden. One afternoon, the gardener collected all the fresh sunflower seeds and stored them in a large, deep clay pot with a narrow opening.
Driven by hunger, Chip found a way to squeeze through the small hole into the pot. Once inside, the seeds were delicious! Chip ate and ate until his belly became round and tight. When he tried to wiggle back out through the narrow opening, he found himself stuck. He was trapped!
Chip began to cry in fear. A wise rabbit named Dash, who was hopping nearby, heard the whimpering and asked, 'What is wrong, little one?' Chip explained his predicament. Dash chuckled softly and said, 'Don't panic. Just rest here. Once your food is digested, your belly will shrink, and you will slide right out.'
Chip followed the advice and fell into a deep sleep. When he woke up, his belly was slim again, and he easily popped out of the pot. He was free! But as he looked back at the pot, greed took over. 'Why leave now? I can fit just a little more in my tummy,' he thought.
Chip climbed back into the pot and gorged himself on even more seeds. The loud crunching sounds attracted a hungry cat that was prowling nearby. The cat crept toward the pot and peered inside. Because Chip had overeaten again, he was stuck once more. The cat quickly caught the greedy mouse. Chip's hunger for more led him to a very bad end.
Moral
Greediness leads to trouble.
