The Lion and the Rabbit: A Tale of Wit and Strength

Once upon a time, in a lush green forest ruled a mighty lion named Zor. His roar echoed through the trees, and all the animals feared him. He declared himself the king of the jungle and demanded that each day, one animal would come to him as his meal. “This way,” he said, “I won’t have to hunt, and you all will live longer.”

Terrified, the animals agreed. They formed a schedule, and each day, one animal would sacrifice itself to satisfy the lion’s hunger. Days turned into weeks, and sorrow filled the forest. Mothers wept as their young ones were taken, and the air that once sang with birdsong now echoed with silence.

Then one day, it was the rabbit's turn.

The rabbit, a small and clever creature named Mino, didn’t want to die. As he made his slow way to the lion’s cave, he thought, “Why should all of us suffer for one lion’s pride and power? There must be a way to stop this.” And so, Mino came up with a plan.

Instead of going straight to the lion, Mino took a long detour. He waited by a stream, rolled in some dirt, and even nibbled on a few herbs to make himself look exhausted and delayed. By the time he reached the lion’s den, the sun was already dipping below the trees.

Zor roared in anger as he saw the small rabbit arrive alone and late. “You dare come alone? Where are the others? Why are you so late?”

Mino bowed low and said, “Oh great King Zor, I am truly sorry for my delay. I was not alone, I swear. There were six of us rabbits, chosen together to be your feast. But as we made our way here, another lion stopped us. He claimed to be the king and said you are no longer the ruler of this forest.”

Zor’s eyes burned with rage. “Another lion? In my forest?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Mino continued. “He said he was stronger than you. He said that from now on, all animals will bring their offerings to him. He took the other five rabbits and told me to come back and tell you that he is the true king now.”

Zor roared louder than ever. Birds flew from trees, and even the wind seemed to pause. “Show me where this pretender is! I will tear him apart with my claws!”

Mino led the lion deep into the forest, to a well that was hidden behind thick bushes. “He lives in there, Your Majesty,” said Mino. “He said only a true king would dare face him in his home.”

Zor approached the well and peered into the water. In the still surface, he saw his own reflection staring back at him.

“There he is!” growled Zor. “How dare he look at me so boldly!”

He roared into the well, and of course, the echo came back.

“Did you hear that? He mocks me!” Zor growled.

Without a second thought, the angry lion leapt into the well to attack his so-called rival.

There was a loud splash, followed by silence.

Zor never returned.

The forest was free.

When word spread that the lion was gone, the animals came out of hiding. They danced, laughed, and celebrated. The trees seemed greener, the rivers clearer, and the sky brighter.

The animals crowned Mino as their hero. Though small, he had done what none of the others could — defeat the mighty lion without lifting a paw.

And from that day forward, the forest learned a valuable lesson: Strength can rule for a time, but wisdom lasts forever.

Moral of the story:

Sometimes, brains are better than brawn. Even the smallest creature can defeat the mightiest if they use their mind.