Once upon a time, there lived a big
lion in a jungle. Every day he hunted and killed many animals to satisfy
his hunger. The animals were worried that one day none of them would be
left alive. They all decided to go to the lion and find a solution to this
problem.
When the lion saw all the animals
approaching, he was very happy as he thought that he would not have to
take the trouble to hunt. He could just kill all the animals together once
and for all.
One of the animals stopped him and
pleaded that he listen to what they had to say first. He went on to explain
that as the lion was king of the jungle, and all the other animals were
his subjects, the lion would not be a king at all if he killed all his
subjects. He would have no one left to rule over. He suggested that if
the lion stayed home, one animal would surrender itself each day as food
for the lion. The lion agreed to this offer on the condition that if they
ever failed to send him an animal, he would go on a killing spree and finish
all of them off.
From then on, each day an animal
was sent to the lion and the lion was pleased.
One day it was the turn of a little
rabbit to sacrifice his life to provide food for the lion. This little
one did not want to be the lion's meal. He thought of a plan that would
save his life as well as the lives of all the other animals in the jungle.
The rabbit slowly made his way to
the lion's den. The lion was pacing up and down, extremely hungry. He was
furious when all he saw was a little rabbit. He wanted to kill all the
animals in a rage. The rabbit timidly explained that the animals had actually
sent him six rabbits, but five of them were killed and devoured by another
lion.
The lion roared in anger. He wanted
to know who this other lion was who dared to steal his food. The rabbit
stuttered that it was a very big lion. He had warned the other lion not
to eat him as his king would be very angry and definitely come to fight
him. The rabbit went on to say that that the other lion had called His
Majesty an impostor and had challenged him to prove who was actually the
king of the jungle. The lion was furious. He asked the rabbit to take him
to the other lion as he wanted to kill him.
The little rabbit led the lion to
a well and told him that the other lion was in there. The lion peered into
the well and saw his own reflection. He thought it was the other lion.
He let out a huge roar which echoed back at him. He immediately jumped
into the well to attack what he thought was the other lion. The lion dashed
his head against the rocks and drowned.
The jubilant little rabbit returned
to other animals to spread the good news.
