The Wise Hare and the Arrogant Lion

The Wise Hare and the Arrogant Lion


Once upon a time, in a big, green jungle, there lived a lion. He was not just any lion—he was the king of the jungle. All the animals feared him. He was the strongest, the fastest, and the bravest animal in the whole forest. Whenever he walked through the jungle, every animal would hide. No one dared to cross his path.

The lion was also very hungry most of the time. He loved to hunt. Every day, he would go out looking for food. The animals of the jungle were scared of being eaten. So, they made a deal with the lion. Every day, one animal would come to the lion and offer itself as food. This way, the lion got to eat, and the other animals stayed safe.

One bright sunny morning, the lion woke up feeling extremely hungry. He stretched his legs and roared loudly.

“Where is my food today?” he growled. “Why is no one bringing me anything to eat?”

The animals had never missed a day before. Today was different. The lion was starting to get angry. His stomach growled, and his tail thumped the ground in frustration.

Just then, a small rabbit appeared. He hopped slowly toward the lion.

“Ah! Finally, some food!” said the lion, his mouth watering. But when he saw the tiny rabbit, he frowned.

“Little rabbit, are you really all I get today?” the lion said in a low growl. “You are so small! You will not satisfy my hunger!”

The rabbit trembled but tried to stay brave. “I’m sorry, O King,” said the rabbit. “I am late today because something strange happened. A new lion has come to our jungle. He says he is stronger than you and wants to be the king instead.”

The lion’s eyes widened. His ears twitched. His anger grew like fire.

“What? A new lion? Who dares to challenge me? Show me this foolish lion at once!” the king roared.

The rabbit shook his little head. “O King, please be careful. This new lion is very bold. I don’t know if it is wise to go alone.”

But the proud lion would not listen. “I am the king! No one can challenge me! Lead me to this lion!”

The clever rabbit smiled secretly. He had a plan. “Follow me, Your Majesty,” he said softly, hopping ahead.

The rabbit led the lion deep into the jungle. They walked past tall trees, thick bushes, and a sparkling river. Finally, the rabbit stopped at the edge of a clear water well.

“Here it is, Your Majesty,” said the rabbit, pointing to the well. “The new lion is hiding inside. He dares to call himself king!”

The lion looked into the well. To his surprise, he saw another lion staring back at him. “Ha! How dare you challenge me?” he roared. “Come out and fight! I will show you who the real king is!”

The rabbit whispered, “Go ahead, Your Majesty. Show him your strength.”

The proud lion was so angry that he did not think at all. He jumped straight into the well to fight the other lion. SPLASH!

The water splashed everywhere. The lion hit the bottom of the well and could not get out. Sadly, the king of the jungle had fallen. He had drowned.

The rabbit waited a moment and then hopped back to the other animals. “It’s safe now,” he called. “The lion is gone!”

All the animals came out from behind the bushes. They cheered and danced. The clever little rabbit had saved them from the proud lion. From that day, the rabbit was known as the smartest animal in the jungle.

The animals learned an important lesson that day. Arrogance can lead to big trouble. Even the strongest animal can be defeated if he does not listen to advice. And even the smallest creature, if clever, can solve the biggest problems.

The little rabbit became a hero. Every day, animals would tell the story of how he tricked the proud lion and saved the jungle.

The rabbit smiled whenever he heard the stories. “Remember,” he would say to the young ones, “never be too proud, and always think before you act. And if you are clever, even the strongest can be stopped.”

From that day, the jungle was peaceful. Animals could roam freely. They did not fear being eaten by the lion anymore. And they always remembered the lesson of the clever rabbit and the proud lion.

And so, the jungle was safe, green, and full of life, all thanks to the little rabbit who had a big heart and a clever mind.

THE END


Comprehension Questions and Answers

  1. Question: Who was the king of the jungle in the story?
    Answer: The lion was the king of the jungle.

  2. Question: Why were the other animals afraid of the lion?
    Answer: Because the lion was very strong and could eat them.

  3. Question: How did the animals protect themselves from the lion?
    Answer: They sent one animal each day to the lion as food.

  4. Question: Who came to the lion on the day he was very hungry?
    Answer: A little rabbit came to the lion.

  5. Question: What did the rabbit tell the lion about the new lion?
    Answer: The rabbit said a new lion had come to the jungle and claimed he was stronger and wanted to be king.

  6. Question: Where did the rabbit lead the lion to meet the “new lion”?
    Answer: The rabbit led the lion to a well.

  7. Question: How did the lion die?
    Answer: The lion jumped into the well to fight the reflection of himself and died when he hit the bottom.

  8. Question: Who became the cleverest animal in the jungle?
    Answer: The rabbit became the cleverest animal.

Moral and Thinking Questions

  1. Question: Why did the rabbit trick the lion?
    Answer: To save the other animals and protect the jungle.

  2. Question: What can we learn from the lion’s mistake?
    Answer: Being too proud or arrogant can lead to trouble.

  3. Question: How did the rabbit show that being clever is more important than being strong?
    Answer: The rabbit used his intelligence to trick the lion instead of fighting him.

  4. Question: Can small animals like the rabbit be heroes too? Why?
    Answer: Yes, because clever thinking and courage can solve problems, no matter your size.

  5. Question: What would happen if the rabbit had not helped the animals?
    Answer: The lion might have eaten many animals, and the jungle would not have been safe.

Fun and Imaginative Questions

  1. Question: If you were the rabbit, what plan would you have used to stop the lion?
    Answer: (Children can give their own answers, e.g., trick the lion, hide him, or lead him away.)

  2. Question: How do you think the lion felt when he saw his reflection in the water?
    Answer: He was angry and thought it was another lion challenging him.

  3. Question: What would you do if you saw a new lion in your jungle?
    Answer: (Encourage children to think about problem-solving and safety.)

  4. Question: Can animals in stories teach us lessons? Which lesson did this story teach you?
    Answer: Yes, stories can teach lessons. This story teaches us not to be arrogant and to value intelligence and careful thinking.

Discussion Starters

  1. Question: Why do you think the animals sent one animal every day to the lion? Was it fair?
    Answer: They wanted to stay safe. It was a way to protect many animals by sacrificing one. It shows teamwork and clever planning.

  2. Question: How is being clever sometimes more important than being strong?
    Answer: Strength can help in fighting, but clever thinking can solve problems without danger.

  3. Question: What are some ways you can be “clever” in real life like the rabbit?
    Answer: By thinking carefully, planning, listening to advice, and solving problems without hurting others.


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