Stories from Hithopadhesha

THE HARE AND THE LION

Once there lived a lion on a mountain. Everyday he used to kill many beasts. One day all the beasts met in an assembly to discuss the killing of so many animals at one time. They went to the lion and said: "Great Sir, if it pleases your lordship, we ourselves shall send you one animal everyday." To this the lion agreed.

It was a hare's turn one day to go to the lion. It was an aged one. On its way it thought, why not I go slowly. He is going to eat me any how. Let me make his dinner late. And so, it went very late to the lion.

The lion was angry and he roared: "Why are you so late you silly creature?" At once the hare bowed to the lion and said very politely: "Pardon me, Oh my lord! While I was on my way to you I met another lion. He caught hold of me; but, with great difficulty I escaped him and now come to you. Pardon me, oh my lord!"

The lion said in a great rage: "Take me at once to that lion." The hare took him to a deep well and asked him to look into the well. There, the lion saw his own shadow; but, he thought it was another lion, and being angry, he sprang into the well. But what happened?--- He was drowned.

Moral: Wisdom is more valuable than mere physical strength.