Once upon a time there lived a Lion and a Lioness who inhabited a den
amongst some rocks on the slopes of a mountain. They were both very
fine, well-grown animals, and they used to prey upon all the smaller
beasts in that part of the country; until at last they became so
powerful that no other animal was safe from their clutches, and the
wild beasts of the neighbourhood lived in a continual state of terror.
It chanced one day that while the Lion was hunting for something to
eat, he came across a Hare sleeping behind a boulder; and seizing the
Hare in his great paws he was just about to devour him, when the Hare
spoke as follows:
“Oh! Uncle Lion,” said he, “before eating me I just want to tell you
about another animal who lives in that pond down there in the valley.
He is very big and fierce, and I think he must be even stronger than
you are. But if you will allow me to do so I will show you where he
lives, and if you can succeed in killing him he will make a very much
better meal for you than a poor little beast like me.”
On hearing this the Lion was very indignant.
“What!” said he, “do you mean to tell me that there is any animal in
this country stronger and more powerful than I am? Don’t you know that
I am the Lord of this district, and that I should never allow anyone
else to dispute the mastery with me. Show me at once where this
creature lives, and I will show you how I shall deal with him.”
“Oh! Uncle Lion,” said the Hare, “let me beg you to be careful. You
have no idea what a big, strong creature this is; you must on no
account allow yourself to be injured by fighting with him. Think what a
grief it would be to us all if you were to come to any harm.”
This remark of the Hare’s made the Lion more angry than before, and he
insisted that the Hare should at once lead him down and show him where
the other animal lived. So the Hare, after again begging him to be
careful of himself, preceded him down the hill until they arrived at
the edge of a square-built stone tank, which was nearly full of water.
“Now, Uncle Lion,” said the Hare, “if you will go to the edge of that
tank and look down into the water you will see the animal I speak of.”
So saying he moved on one side, and the Lion, stalking to the edge,
peered down into the tank. The water was very smooth, and on the clear
surface he saw his own head reflected.
“There he is,” called out the Hare from the background; “there he is,
Uncle Lion, I can see him quite plainly in the water. You see how
fierce he is looking; please be careful not to start fighting with
him.”
These remarks made the Lion more angry than ever, and he moved up and
down on the brink of the tank, glaring fiercely at his own reflection
in the water, and growling and showing his teeth at it.
“That’s right, Uncle Lion,” called out the Hare; “I am so glad you are
taking good care of yourself. Don’t on any account come to grips with
that beast in the water or he might do you an injury. You are certainly
much safer on the bank, and no doubt you will frighten him if you
continue to growl and show your teeth.”
These last observations of the Hare goaded the Lion to desperation, and
with a fierce roar he sprang straight at the image in the water. Once
in the tank he was unable to get out, for its sides were built of
masonry, and it was impossible for him to climb them. So he swam about
for some time in the tank, whilst the Hare, sitting on the bank, threw
stones at him and made nasty remarks; and finally, when quite wearied
out, he sank to the bottom and was drowned.
The Hare was very pleased at having accomplished the destruction of the
Lion, and he now turned his attention to the Lioness. It happened that
near by there was a thick wall standing, which was part of the remains
of a ruined castle; and in one portion of the wall there was a hole,
very large at one end and tapering down to quite a small opening at the
other. The Hare, having studied his ground, went off next morning to
find the Lioness. He soon came across her stalking up and down near her
den, very much perturbed at the disappearance of her lord and master.
“Good-morning, Aunt Lioness,” said the Hare, going up cautiously
towards her; “what is the matter with you this morning? How is it I
find you pacing here in front of your den instead of hunting your prey
as usual on the hillside?”
The Lioness took no notice of the Hare, except to growl at him in an
angry manner, and to lash her sides with her tail.
“I suppose,” went on the Hare, “you are anxious about Mr. Lion, but I
am sorry to tell you that you are not likely to see him again for some
time. The fact is, he and I had a little argument yesterday, in which
we both lost our tempers. It ended in our having a free fight, and I
regret to say that I was obliged to injure Mr. Lion rather severely
before I could make him see reason, and he is now lying in a dying
state in the valley below.”
This impudence so enraged the Lioness that she sprang towards the Hare
and endeavoured to seize him; but he eluded her and galloped off down
the hill hotly pursued by the angry beast. The Hare made straight for
the ruined wall, and entering the breach in the wall at the large end
he emerged safely at the other side by the smaller recess, which was
just large enough for him to pass through. The Lioness, following
closely at his heels, was so blind with rage that she did not see that
she was being led into a trap; so she rushed head-foremost into the
opening in the wall, and before she had time to stop herself was wedged
tightly in the tapering hole. She struggled violently, trying to
extricate herself, but all in vain.
Meanwhile the Hare, having cantered round to the other side, took up
its position in rear of the Lioness, and began pelting her with stones
and calling her all the bad names he could think of. When he was tired
of this he went off home very pleased with himself, and the Lioness,
being unable to free herself from the trap she was in, shortly
afterwards starved to death.
STORY No. X.