The Lion and the Donkey

Once Upon a Time in the Greenwood Jungle...

There was a grand forest known as Greenwood Jungle, where all the animals lived under the rule of King Leo the Lion, a proud and slightly dramatic beast who believed he was the wisest animal to ever walk on four legs.

His golden mane was always perfectly brushed (thanks to his royal parrot stylist), and he insisted on holding daily court sessions under a large baobab tree where he delivered royal advice to the rest of the jungle — most of which was nonsense, but no one dared to say it.

Now, in this same jungle lived a very loud, cheerful, and utterly clueless animal named Danny the Donkey.

Danny was not clever. He wasn’t even average. But he had two things in abundance: confidence and a voice so loud it could wake the ancestors.

The Donkey with an Opinion

Danny believed he was destined for greatness. In his words:

“I have the voice of thunder, the charm of a fox, and the brain of...well, a very smart goat!”

His favourite activity was walking around the jungle giving unsolicited advice:

To the birds: “You’re flying too fast! Slow down, it’s not a race!”

To the squirrels: “Nuts are overrated. Try grass, very high in fibre!”

To the frogs: “Less croaking, more singing. I can teach you!”

Most animals avoided him, but Danny didn’t notice. He thought they were just “starstruck by his charisma.”

The Day of the Jungle Debate

One fine morning, King Leo had an idea.

“To prove I am the wisest,” he declared to his advisors, “I shall hold a Great Jungle Debate! Every animal may present their opinions. But of course, mine shall be the final word.”

A poster was nailed to every tree:

“Jungle Debate: Speak your mind before your king. All are welcome (except mosquitoes).”

Danny read the poster with wide eyes. “This is it! My moment! The king will finally recognise my brilliance.”

The Debate Begins

Animals gathered from all corners of Greenwood Jungle. Elephants, monkeys, owls, even the lazy crocodiles turned up — not for the debate, but for the snacks.

The king sat on a raised stone throne, wearing a crown made of peacock feathers.

First came Professor Owl, who spoke about the importance of wisdom.

Then Elephant Auntie Lila explained why memory matters.

Then came Danny the Donkey.

He marched forward with a grin, cleared his throat (very dramatically), and shouted:

“I believe that the lion is not the wisest animal. In fact, I believe I should be king!”

The jungle went silent.

King Leo blinked.

Danny continued, “Let’s be honest, your majesty. What have you really done for us lately? The monkeys steal bananas, the river floods every season, and you once called a porcupine a hedgehog! It’s time for fresh leadership. A donkey king!”

Gasps echoed through the trees.

The Court Is in Chaos

For a moment, the king said nothing.

Then he stood, stretched his claws, and smiled (a terrifying lion smile).

“Ah, dear donkey,” he said smoothly. “What a... brave speech.”

Danny smiled. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“You clearly have... vision.”

“Indeed!”

“And confidence.”

“Absolutely!”

“And no sense whatsoever.”

Danny’s ears drooped slightly.

King Leo raised a paw for silence.

“Let it be known,” he roared, “that the donkey may speak freely — as long as no one takes him seriously.”

A Jungle Full of Laughter

The animals burst into laughter.

From that day forward, whenever someone said something foolish, the others would chuckle and say, “You sound like Danny the Donkey!”

Danny didn’t mind. He thought the laughter was applause.

He walked around with his head high, telling everyone, “I shook the throne with my words!”

In truth, he did—just not the way he imagined.

The Unexpected Result

Now, here’s where the story gets more interesting.

Weeks after the debate, strange things started happening.

The monkeys stopped stealing bananas because they were too busy laughing at donkey jokes.

The squirrels relaxed, enjoying Danny’s silly suggestions.

Even the king smiled more often.

In a strange twist, Danny’s foolishness brought peace to the jungle.

And one day, King Leo said to his advisor, “Perhaps wisdom comes not only from the brain... but from the heart — and a bit of good humour.”

The Moral of the Story

This story was passed down in Greenwood Jungle for generations. And the moral was clear:

“Better to be a joyful fool than a joyless genius.”

Or, if you prefer the donkey’s version:

“Speak your mind, even if it’s silly — you never know who might laugh, learn, or like you for it!”

Epilogue: The Donkey Statue

Years later, when Danny the Donkey passed on (after eating too many fermented mangoes), the animals built a statue of him in the middle of the jungle.

Not out of respect for his wisdom.

Not for his leadership.

But because, for all his foolishness, he made life better — funnier, lighter, and a little more unpredictable.

Under the statue, it read:

“Danny the Donkey — King of Laughs, Friend to All, Enemy of Boredom.”