The Clever Rabbit



A fierce lion, who lived in the forest, did not want to hunt anymore.
He announced, “From today, I will not hunt for food. Every day one animal should be sent to my cave for my meal.”
All the other animals were afraid of the lion so they obeyed his command. Every day they sent one animal to the lion's cave.
One day, it was the rabbit’s turn to go to the cave.
He walked towards the cave slowly and sadly.
On the way he saw a deep and dangerous well.
The rabbit had a bright idea.
In the cave, the lion walked to and fro because his food did not come on time.
When the rabbit finally came to the cave, he roared, “Why are you late? Don’t you know that I am hungry?”
The rabbit shivered with fright.
He stammered, “I...I... am so sorry for being late. On...on... the way there was another lion. He...he...chased me so I ran for my life and came here by another path.”
The lion asked the rabbit, “Another lion? I am the ONLY lion in this forest.”
The rabbit replied, “Oh no, there is another lion in this forest who is much stronger than you. Come with me and I will show you where he lives.”
The lion was curious to see the other lion so he followed the rabbit.
The rabbit led the lion to the deep well.
He whispered to the lion, “If you look inside the well, you will see him.”
The lion looked inside the well and saw another lion.
He roared in anger and the other lion roared louder. This made the lion furious.
He jumped into the well to fight with the other lion.
The lion drowned in the deep well because the other lion was only a reflection of himself.
The rabbit joyfully skipped away to tell this news to the other animals. 


(Fable Retold)

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