The Donkey Who Trusted Twice

In the heart of a thick jungle, where tall trees touched the sky and the air smelled of wildflowers and danger, lived a lion—the king of all animals. He was powerful, strong, and feared by everyone. But even the strongest fall weak when hunger takes over. Days had passed without a proper meal, and now the lion’s belly growled like a drumbeat of an approaching storm.

He lay under a tree, too tired to hunt. His golden eyes burned with hunger, and his claws scraped the dry earth. Just then, he spotted his clever advisor, the fox, passing by.

“Fox!” the lion roared, though his voice was weaker than usual. “Go out and bring me something to eat. And don’t come back empty-handed. If you do, I’ll eat you instead!”

The fox, who was always thinking ten steps ahead, nodded quickly. “Yes, my king. I’ll find you a meal worthy of your majesty!”

And off she went, walking lightly between bushes and skipping over fallen logs, searching for the perfect target. She wasn’t strong like the lion, but she had something just as powerful: her brain.

After a while, she spotted a donkey near a river. The donkey was old but strong and looked healthy—perfect for a lion’s dinner. The donkey was calmly drinking water, his reflection shining back at him.

The fox approached with a friendly smile.

“Greetings, noble donkey!” she said, bowing slightly. “Today is your lucky day! The king of the jungle has made a royal decision.”

The donkey raised his head, surprised. “What kind of decision?”

“You,” said the fox, “have been chosen to be the next king of the jungle.”

The donkey blinked in disbelief. “Me? A king?”

“Yes! The lion is growing old and tired. He says the jungle needs a ruler who is strong, honest, and humble. You are the perfect choice. Come with me. He wishes to place the royal crown on your head!”

The donkey's chest puffed up with pride. No one had ever said such kind things to him before. Without thinking twice, he followed the fox toward the lion’s den.

When they arrived, the lion looked at the donkey with wide eyes. His hunger exploded. Without waiting for a word, he pounced on the donkey, but in his weak state, he only managed to bite off the donkey’s ear before the animal kicked and scrambled away, escaping with a loud bray of fear.

Later that day, the donkey sat behind a tree, breathing heavily and bleeding. The fox found him and gave him a kind smile.

“You tricked me!” the donkey cried. “That lion tried to kill me!”

“No, no, you misunderstood,” the fox said calmly. “That wasn’t an attack. That was part of the royal ceremony. The king bites off the ear to make space for the crown. You ran away before the ritual was finished!”

“Are you sure?” the donkey asked, still shaking.

“Of course! These are ancient traditions. Don't you want to be king?”

The donkey, though nervous, still wanted the crown. The dream of sitting on a golden throne and being called ‘Your Majesty’ made him forget the pain in his ear.

“Alright,” he said, “I'll go back.”

When the donkey returned to the lion, the king pretended to be calm. But his hunger was stronger now, and he didn’t want to lose his meal again. This time, he lunged again and bit off the donkey’s tail! The poor animal cried in pain and kicked wildly, managing to escape once more.

Later, the fox found the donkey again.

“Now what was that?!” the donkey shouted. “He bit off my tail! That’s not part of any ceremony!”

The fox shook her head sadly. “Dear friend, you are so close to the throne now. The tail must be removed so you can sit comfortably on the royal seat. You are almost a king. Just one more step!”

Despite all the pain, the donkey’s heart still clung to the dream of power. “Okay,” he whispered. “Maybe I just need to be brave.”

For the third time, he followed the fox back to the lion. But this time, the lion was ready. He did not hesitate. With a fierce roar and a powerful leap, he attacked with full strength and killed the donkey on the spot.

The lion, at last, was full and satisfied.

He turned to the fox and said, “Well done. Now bring me the donkey’s heart, liver, lungs, and brain. I want every part of this meal.”

The fox nodded and began to prepare the donkey’s body. She cut it open carefully with her sharp teeth and claws. She removed the organs, but when she saw the brain, she paused.

“A brain?” she muttered to herself. “Does he really deserve to have one?”

With a smirk, she ate the donkey’s brain herself and brought the rest to the lion.

The lion noticed something missing. “Where is the brain?” he asked.

The fox wiped her mouth and said, “My king, he didn’t have one.”

“What do you mean?”

The fox replied, “If he had a brain, would he have come back again after you bit off his ear and tail? A real king would have known better. Only a fool walks back into danger again and again.”

The lion laughed. “Well said! A donkey, indeed!”