Fables Retold

The Old Lion and the Hare

Once upon a time, there was a bold and strong lion, the ruthless king of all animals of the savanna. He hunted and devoured indiscriminately – from a large elephant or a stout bison to a small hare - all were his prey. His roar alone was enough to strike fear in the hearts.

But that was in the prime of his life and now he was much older and less energetic. He simply did not wish to go through the ordeal of the daily hunts. So, one morning, he roared loud and clear from the top of a hillock and called all the animals to his 'royal court' for a meeting. All the animals, fearful of what was coming, obeyed and gathered before the lion.

The lion announced his decree, "My dear subjects, it must be evident to you that I, your benevolent king, am growing old. And as my loyal subjects, you surely do not have the desire to make me toil in my old age? Therefore, I, your fair and reasonable king, have decided that every day you must send one of your kind to me so that I may satisfy my appetite."

He continued, "You must be thinking 'Oh what if we just don't go?'  Well, it goes without saying that by failing to abide by my royal decree, you would be unleashing my wrath and I would be forced to hunt and kill several of your kind daily. Surely, what I propose is much better compared to that?"

The poor animals were aware that even in his mature age, the lion was capable of much violence. They were shuffling and mumbling to each other under the influence of fear and confusion. And the collective voices of the animals gave rise to a loud cacophony.

"Silence!" roared the lion, "It is a fair decree that I, the wise and kind king of yours, have issued. I do not wish to see any disobedience! Start sending volunteers from tomorrow. You may leave now."

The animals slowly dispersed, their voices fading, and went their separate ways.

And with that, began a cruel and nightmarish ritual that was antithetic to the laws of nature. The animals, not finding the courage to ignore or disobey the lion's wish, did as was demanded of them. The prey voluntarily walked to the predator. At least some volunteered to go - the elders went so that the young may be spared. And in other cases, some were chosen, some forced and driven by others of their kind to certain death. There was a display of selfish cruelty in the name of self-preservation.

Small creatures such as hares, meerkats, etc. were to go to the lion's den early in the morning before the bigger animals did. Their tender and soft flesh was fit for snacking.

This continued for several days until it was time for a young hare to go to visit the lion. The hare's family did not want him to go, the wife and children cried and begged him to stay.
But it was decided by the Council, and he had made up his mind. His family will be looked after and his kids will be spared. 

This hare was much braver for his size and he was a cunning one too, for he had devised a plan to save himself as well as to put an end to the old lion's reign. He had not shared his plans with anyone lest he be stopped or mocked. How could a small animal such as him defeat a big powerful lion?

He was supposed to go to the lion's den two hours after sunrise, but he delayed it intentionally. So, when the hare finally got there, he found the lion already in an irritable mood. When the lion saw the approaching hare, he roared and jumped in front of him, scaring the little creature half to death.

He asked in a thundering voice, "You impudent little hare! How dare you keep me hungry and waiting for my breakfast?"

"Your Highness, I did not mean to keep you waiting. But unfortunately, I was waylaid by another big lion." the hare managed to say.

"Another lion? Hunting in my kingdom??" roared the old lion.

The hare replied, "Yes, my lord, a big and mighty lion barred my way and claimed that he was the new king."

"Oh! He dares?" the lion was now invested, just as the hare had planned.

The hare continued, "He wanted to kill and eat me right then and there. But I told him about you, my true king, and told him that I must meet you. He finally let me go on the condition that I conveyed his challenge to you."

The lion roared with laughter, "That puny cub of a lion challenges me, the great king of the savanna? He really wants to meet his end!"

"Surely, o mighty lord, anyone who challenges your authority must be a fool. You will show him his place, will you not, my lord?" the hare said.

The lion replied, "Of course, how can I let him hunt in my kingdom and kill my loyal subjects? I will put an end to his miserable life. Hare, take me to him!"

The hare led the lion far away to a clearing where there was nothing other than a well. When they came to the well, the hare told him that the other lion lived inside the well.

"Lives in a hole in the ground like a rat and calls himself a king? What a buffoon!" the lion laughed.

The lion went to the mouth of the well. There he saw his own image reflected in the water, and taking it to be the other lion, roared, "I am the king of the savanna. I will end you!"

His own voice echoed back to him. He thought it to be the challenging voice of the other lion. So, the old lion went on exchanging insults with this 'other lion who lived in a hole'. He threatened to end his life and received the same threat in response.

"He is too afraid to come out of the hole, my lord. Your royal presence and mighty roars have frightened him. You should enter the hole and kill him there." the hare suggested.

The lion agreed, "That I will, my most loyal subject."

And with that, the old lion jumped into the well, hoping to meet his opponent and end his life. But the lion did not know how to swim. Realizing his situation, he made a vain attempt to save himself. But he could not get out of the well and drowned in the water.

The hare returned home unharmed and his wife was so glad that she held him in her arms and cried for several minutes. When the news of his return and the demise of the old king spread, all the animals came to greet him and hear the tale from his own mouth. The hare became an honoured hero, a legend, and soon the leader of his people.

Moral: power can be defeated with cunning

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