Why is it a bad idea to give a mouse a cookie?

It ' s not a bad idea to give a mouse a cookie , but it ' s important to remember that this phrase is often used as a met aphor for a situation where a small request or favor leads to a larger , more complex problem . The phrase comes from a children ' s book by L ois Low ry , " If You Give a Mouse a C ookie ," where the mouse asks for a cookie , and then asks for more and more things until the house is in chaos . So , while it ' s not inher ently bad to give a mouse a cookie , it ' s important to be mind ful of the potential consequences of small actions and to be prepared for any unexpected outcomes . </s>