The Lazy Lion Cub

The Lazy Lion Cub

BY: Ubaid

on a time, deep inside a vast forest, there lived a lioness with her two little cubs. She loved them both dearly and took great care of them. In the early days, while the cubs were still small and weak, she would hunt tirelessly every day, bringing them fresh meat so their bellies were always full. The cubs would play, wrestle, and sleep peacefully, never worrying about food, because their mother’s strength kept them safe and satisfied.

But time passes quickly in the wild, and soon the cubs began to grow. One day, the lioness decided it was time to teach her young ones how to hunt. “You must learn,” she said gently, “for one day I will not be with you. You must know how to find your own food.”

The elder cub, strong and eager, immediately agreed. He wanted to be brave like his mother. The younger cub, however, hesitated. He pretended to cough and groan. “Mother, I’m not feeling well today,” he said. “Perhaps I’ll come tomorrow… or the day after.” Each day he found a new excuse.

The elder cub went with his mother every morning, learning how to stalk, chase, and capture prey. His muscles grew strong, his senses sharp. Meanwhile, the younger cub remained at home, waiting for food to be delivered to him. In truth, he was simply lazy. He thought, Why should I work when meals are brought to me every day? Why struggle when life is so easy?

The lioness often tried to counsel him. “My son,” she would say softly, “remember you are the child of a lion. Our kind survives through courage and effort. If you give in to laziness, it will become your habit. One day, you may suffer greatly for it.” But the little cub never listened. Her words entered through one ear and left through the other.

The seasons changed, and the cubs grew into young lions. The elder one became swift, strong, and fearless. The younger, by contrast, remained weak and idle, depending on his mother and brother to feed him.

Then, one fateful day, danger entered the forest. A hunter came with his gun, and the lioness, despite her strength, was struck by a bullet. She roared in pain and fell. By the time her elder son rushed to her side, it was too late. With her final breath, the brave mother was gone.

The elder lion’s heart burned with rage. He longed to take revenge on the hunter, but the man had already disappeared into the wilderness. Helpless, the young lion returned to his brother.

“Listen to me,” he said earnestly. “Our mother is gone. Now, we only have each other. We lost her because of human cruelty, but I fear your laziness may also bring you harm. Please, come with me on the hunt. Learn to live as a lion should. Do not let idleness destroy you.”

But the younger lion flared up in anger. His pride was wounded. With a loud roar he replied, “You are jealous of me! Stop preaching. Do not worry about me. God created me, and He will provide for me. My safety and my food are in His hands.”

The elder brother sighed deeply. “Yes, God is the Provider. He created us all, and He gives sustenance to every creature. But He also commands us to strive. Effort is our duty, and reward comes through it. If you refuse to work, how can you expect God to send food into your mouth?”

Still, the younger lion refused to listen. “Enough!” he shouted. “I know what is best for me. I don’t need your advice.”

The elder lion felt heartbroken at his brother’s stubbornness. He fell silent and walked away. Yet he did not completely abandon him. Each time he hunted, he would bring a share of the meat to his lazy sibling, who continued to eat greedily without lifting a paw in effort.

Years passed. The elder lion found a mate, and soon he had cubs of his own. Life became harder, for now he had to provide not only for himself but also for his family—and still, for his idle brother. Sometimes, when prey was scarce, his own little cubs went hungry while their uncle devoured food without shame.

Watching his children cry from hunger, the elder lion’s heart grew heavy. Finally, he decided enough was enough. He stopped bringing food to his brother. “From now on,” he thought, “he must face the consequences of his choices.”

Left on his own, the younger lion grew restless. Hunger gnawed at him. He tried to hunt but lacked strength and skill. Once, he caught a rabbit or a jackal by surprise, but it was never enough to fill his stomach. His body, once plump from free meals, became weak and thin.

Day by day, his health declined. One evening, as he lay exhausted in the dust, a hungry mouse crept near. The mouse thought the lion was already dead and began nibbling at his ear. Too weak to resist, the lion barely stirred. Soon, the mouse ran back to its colony with the news: “The mighty lion is helpless! Come, we shall feast.”

In no time, dozens of mice swarmed over him, gnawing at his flesh. The once-proud lion, who had relied on laziness all his life, became food for the smallest creatures of the forest.

And so, the king of the jungle met a pitiful end—not because he lacked strength or opportunity, but because he refused to work for his own survival.

The moral is timeless: Laziness always leads to destruction.