Long before the reign of the
emperor Ashoka, many animal families inhabited a beautiful forest in northern
India. For many years they lived in peace -- until a huge, haughty lion
appeared. Every afternoon the lion set out to select an innocent woodland
creature for his supper. Soon he had carved a bloody path of destruction and
terror through the once tranquil wilderness. Tired of living in constant fear,
the animals chose a committee to seek some type of compromise.
"O mighty lion," said an elderly gazelle, "we fear the very
shadows of the trees that once sheltered us. Listen now to our plan: Let us draw
lots each day to select a sacrifice for your supper. You will be saved the
trouble of stalking and catching your prey, and we can go back to living in
relative peace."
"How do I know you'll deliver?" asked the lion.
"If we don't," answered the gazelle, "you can go back to
killing us at random."
The lion leaned forward, his suspicious eyes checking out each of the
creatures huddled before him as if he were selecting his next meal. Finally, he
spoke. "Let's try this plan of yours starting this afternoon. Send my
supper by four o'clock. If it works, we continue. If it fails...be warned that I
shall kill twice as many as before."
For several months the plan worked, but the animals were not happy -- they
were still losing their friends and relatives to the hungry beast. One day, a
young hare was chosen for sacrifice. Early that afternoon, he said goodbye to
his tearful family and friends, and then spent a few minutes alone before
meeting his escorts.
"Have you any final words?" asked the gray spotted owl.
"I do. If you would allow me to delay this walk to the lion's den for an
hour or so, I think I have a plan that would free us from the tyranny of this bully.""But..."
"Please let me try -- my idea will endanger no one but myself."
The animals whispered among themselves. Finally the wily red fox spoke:
"Since you're going to die anyway, we see no reason to deny this last
request. Good luck!"
The forest glade was almost dark by the time the young hare reached the
lion's den. "Where's my food?" the lion bellowed.
"O Blustery One, it's been stolen by another lion. I tried to stop him,
but..."
"Stolen?" roared the lion. "How dare anyone steal my
supper!"
"O Raucous King, I was bringing my cousin to you for his four o'clock
appointment when suddenly a rather puny member of your species attacked us,
snatching up my cousin.
'Stop!' I cried out. 'You're taking the food of the lion who owns the
forest.'
'And who's going to stop me?' the imposter said in an arrogant tone.
'I'll report you to the real king of the forest,' I said.
'Tell this lion who's too lazy to hunt his own food that the prey belongs to
the hunter,' the puny lion said to me. With that he ran off into the forest with
my cousin.
"Where is this lion?" spat the bully.
"I followed his path through the forest," said the hare,
"but..."
"Take me to him now!" the furious lion roared. The hare scampered
off into the trees, leading the lion to a deep, water-filled pit he had found
during earlier travels. "The thief is hiding in that shallow pit up
ahead," the hare whispered to the lion.
As the lion crept stealthily to the edge of the pit, the hare yelled,
"There he is! He's got my cousin!" He then quickly scurried between
the lion's legs. When the lion looked down into the pit, he saw reflected in the
water a lion standing over a helpless hare.
Without thinking, the great beast lunged at the reflection. The hare
flattened his body to the ground as the mangy brute sailed over him, landing
with a huge splash in the middle of the watery trap. The lion sank like a stone,
never to be seen again.
Remember: Intelligence is power. Use your brains -- not your strength.
Calliope
JANUARY 2000
Copyright (c) 2000 Cobblestone Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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