The Lion and the Hare
A clever hare outwits a tyrannical lion using nothing but wit, proving that intelligence can defeat brute strength.
In a dense forest lived a huge and powerful lion. He was extremely cruel and killed one animal every day for his meal. All the creatures of the forest lived in constant fear, forever hiding and running from him.
One day, the animals gathered together and went to the lion with a proposal. "Great King," they said, "you tire yourself out chasing us every day, and we live in constant terror. If you allow it, we will send one animal to you each day, by turns, so you need not hunt at all."
The lion liked this idea and agreed. So a rotation began, and each day a different animal walked to the lion's den. One day it was the hare's turn. The hare was very wise, and he knew that if he arrived on time, he would simply be eaten. So he deliberately took his time, walking slowly and arriving very late.
By the time the hare reached the lion, the king of the forest was furious with hunger and impatience. The lion roared, "Why are you so late? I will eat you right now!"
Trembling, but thinking quickly, the hare said, "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I was on my way on time, but another lion stopped me on the path. He claimed this forest now belonged to him and that he was its true king. When I told him I was bringing food for you, he said, 'Go and fetch your so-called king. Let's see how strong he really is.'"
Hearing this, the lion roared with rage. "Take me to this other lion at once! I will teach him a lesson he won't forget!"
The hare led the lion to an old, deep well. Pointing toward it, he said, "Your Majesty, that lion lives inside this well." The lion peered down into the water and saw his own reflection staring back — and mistook it for the rival lion.
Blinded by fury, the lion let out a tremendous roar and leapt into the well to attack his own reflection. The well was very deep, and the lion drowned.
In this way, the clever little hare saved his own life and the lives of every animal in the forest, simply by using his wits. All the animals praised the hare's intelligence and were grateful for his courage.
Moral: Wisdom and cleverness can overcome even the greatest physical strength.