(SOUNDBITE OF AKUSMI'S "COGITO")
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
There's been some strange sightings in Ireland. Locals in County Clare thought they were hallucinating when they spotted a mysterious beast roaming through the woods. Then a truck driver captured the animal on video, and the grainy footage revealed a large, tan-colored creature with a shaggy mane that from a distance looked like a lion. The king of the jungle in Ireland? The video went viral, of course, on social media. Some thought it might be fake, but with a possible lion on the loose, public safety was on the line. So the Irish police were drafted, and after a week of sleuthing, they solved the case.
It turns out the lion in question was just a large Newfoundland dog with a rather leonine haircut. By the way, vets recommend you don't shave these water dogs, who very much need their protective coat. But the name of this magnificent creature that had been the talk of the island and been mistaken for a lion? The name is Mouse. That's right, Mouse. And I wonder if Mouse can roar like a - ah, you get it now.
(SOUNDBITE OF AKUSMI'S "COGITO") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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