Tag Archives: The Lion
78. THE LION, THE JACKAL AND THE CAVE
In a certain part of the jungle, there lived a lion, by the name of Kharanakhara. One day, he felt very hungry and wandered everywhere looking for food, but he could not catch a single animal.
At sunset, he went into a big cave, thinking to himself,’Some animal is bound to be living here and will certainly return during the evening. I shall hide in the cave and wait for him.’
Sure enough, after a short time, a jackal, arrived on the scene. He noticed that a lion’s footprints were leading into the cave but not coming out. He thought to himself, ‘Now I am dead! It is almost certain that there is a lion inside. But how can I know for sure? What can I do to find out?’ Suddenly an idea struck him.
He stood at the entrance of the cave and began to shout,’Hello, Cave! Cave.’ He waited in silence for some time. Then he cried, ‘Ho, Cave! Don’t you remember the agreement we came to, that when I arrive here, I shall first call you and you will reply and only then will I come in. Now, as you are not replying, I shall go to some other cave.’
When the lion heard this, he thought to himself,’The cave really replies to the jackal, when he returns, but today, for fear of me, it is keeping quiet. So, I shall invite him in myself and when he enters, I’ll make a meal of him.’
With this idea in mind, the lion replied to the jackal, ‘Hello, jackal! It’s all right, you can come in.’
The cave echoed with his roar so loud that even animals far away were frightened. The jackal bolted.
❖ Use you tactics to protect yourself from destruction.
❖ Presence of mind is the best weapon to guard oneself in every sphere of life.
77. THE LION, THE FOX, THE CROW AND THE CAMEL
There in a deep jungle, lived a lion by the name of Madotkata. He had three selfish friends-a jackal, a crow and a wolf. They had become friendly with the lion, because he was the king of the forest. They were always at the service of the lion and obeyed him to meet their selfish ends.
Once, a camel got disorientated in the jungle while grazing and went astray. He tried hard to find his way out, but could not succeed.
223.The Lion, the Wolf, and the Fox
A LION, growing old, lay sick in his cave. All the beasts came to visit their king, except the fox. The wolf therefore, thinking that he had a capital opportunity, accused the fox to the lion of not paying any respect to him who had the rule over them all and of not coming to visit him.
At that very moment the fox came in and heard these last words of the wolf. The lion roaring out in a rage against him, the fox sought an opportunity to defend himself and said, “And who of all those who have come to you have benefited you so much as I, who have travelled from place to place in every direction, and have sought and learnt from the physicians the means of healing you?”
The lion commanded him at once to tell him the cure, when he replied, “You must flay a wolf alive and wrap his skin yet warm around you.”
The wolf was at once taken and flayed; whereon the fox, turning to him, said with a smile, “You should have moved your master not to ill will, but to good will.”
❖ The good cure will not always cost too much.
❖ Keep good company and you shall be of the number (Kansas).
❖ Who keeps company with a wolf is not the sole lord and master of ruin and disaster.
222.The Lion, the Mouse, and the Fox
A LION, fatigued by the heat of a summer’s day, fell fast asleep in his den. A mouse ran over his mane and ears and woke him from his slumbers. He rose up and shook himself in great wrath, and searched every corner of his den to find the mouse. A fox seeing him said:
“A fine lion you are, to be frightened of a mouse.”
“It is not the mouse I fear,” said the lion; “I resent his familiarity and ill-breeding.”
❖ If you excuse yourself you accuse yourself.
❖ Many excuses make one sullen.
