The cleverness of the rabbit

Victory of Wisdom

When Cleverness Defeated Strength

Once upon a time, in a vast and vibrant forest filled with towering trees, chirping birds, flowing rivers, and lush greenery, all animals lived together in peace and joy. The forest was a beautiful home to creatures of every kind—rabbits, deer, foxes, monkeys, elephants, peacocks, and many more. They played together, shared resources, and respected one another’s space.

However, this harmony did not last forever.

A fierce and powerful lion had made his home in a dark cave on the edge of the jungle. As time went on, the lion grew more arrogant and greedy. He began to hunt not just for food, but for pleasure. Every day, he would kill an innocent animal and feast upon it. The animals, once carefree and happy, now lived in constant fear. Parents hid their young, and even the boldest of creatures avoided going out during the day.

One day, unable to bear the horror any longer, the animals held an emergency meeting. The wise old owl presided over the gathering. Elephants stomped in anger, monkeys chattered nervously, deer stood trembling, and rabbits hid behind tree trunks.

“We must do something!” cried the peacock.

“Yes! If this continues, none of us will be left,” said the fox.

After hours of discussion, the animals came up with a daring plan. A group of them would approach the lion with a proposal.

The next morning, they stood outside the lion’s cave and humbly presented their offer:

“O Mighty King of the Jungle, we request that you no longer hunt us yourself. Instead, each day, we will send one animal to your den. This will save you the trouble of searching for food, and it will give the rest of us a chance to live in some peace.”

The lion, lazy and prideful, agreed. “Very well,” he growled. “But if any day I don’t receive my meal, I’ll kill ten of you!”

From that day on, one animal was sent daily to the lion. Though it brought temporary peace, fear still hung heavy in the air. Everyone knew their turn might come next.

Then, one morning, the unlucky draw fell on a small rabbit. The other animals looked at him with pity. He was so small, surely the lion would gobble him up in one bite! But the rabbit smiled calmly and said,

“Worry not, my friends. I have a plan.”

Instead of heading directly to the lion’s cave, the rabbit took his time. He hopped slowly, stopping at streams, taking long detours, and even napping under a shady tree. When he finally reached the lion, it was well past noon.

The lion, already furious with hunger, roared so loudly that the trees shook.

“You dare to be late? I will eat ten of you today!”

But the rabbit stood his ground and spoke politely, “My apologies, Your Majesty. On my way here, I was stopped by another lion who lives in a cave nearby. He claimed that he is the true king of this jungle and that you are a fraud. He tried to eat me, but I escaped to bring you this news.”

The lion’s eyes flared with rage. “Another lion? In my jungle? I will tear him apart! Take me to him!”

The clever rabbit led the lion through winding paths to an old well in the middle of the jungle. It was deep, and its water was still and mirror-like. The rabbit pointed to the well and said, “He is hiding down there, Your Majesty. When I told him about you, he roared just like you. He refused to leave, saying you are nothing but a coward.”

The lion looked into the well and saw his own reflection in the water. Mistaking it for his rival, he roared in anger. The reflection roared back.

The lion growled louder. The reflection did the same.

Enraged beyond reason, the lion shouted, “I will show you who the real king is!”

And without a second thought, he leaped into the well to attack his "enemy."

He splashed into the water, struggled to get out, but the walls were slippery and steep. The mighty lion, the terror of the forest, drowned in his own rage and pride.

When the rabbit returned to the forest and told the animals what had happened, the jungle burst into celebration. Joyful songs echoed through the trees. The rabbit was lifted high on the shoulders of his fellow animals and praised for his bravery and intelligence.

From that day onward, the jungle was once again filled with peace, laughter, and harmony.

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Moral of the Story:

Wisdom and cleverness can defeat brute strength. Arrogance leads to downfall, while calm thinking in tough times can turn the tide in your favor.