The Clever Fox and the Tricky Lion

The Clever Fox and the Tricky Lion: A Kids' Story
The Clever Fox and the Tricky Lion

Once upon a time, in a big, green jungle, there lived an old lion. This lion was once very strong and proud, but now he had grown weak. His body hurt all the time, his legs shook, and he could not run fast like he used to. Hunting for food had become very hard for him. Every time he tried to catch an animal, he would get tired quickly and return to his den with an empty stomach.

The lion was very hungry one morning. He walked slowly through the jungle, looking for something easy to eat. “Oh, how I wish I were young and strong again,” the lion sighed. “Food is so hard to catch now. Maybe today I will find something I can eat without too much trouble.”

As he walked, the lion noticed a dark cave hidden behind some trees. The mouth of the cave looked quiet and empty. “Ah! Maybe I can rest here for a while,” the lion thought. He stepped closer and peeked inside. The cave was dark, but it looked safe. The old lion yawned and rubbed his tired eyes.

Then a clever idea came to his mind. “If I hide inside the cave, I might catch some animals that come here. Maybe I will finally have a good meal!” The lion smiled, showing his sharp teeth, even though he was weak.

So, the lion quietly went into the cave and hid. He waited for a long time. The sun moved across the sky. Birds sang in the trees. But the lion did not move. He was patient because he wanted to catch something to eat.

Finally, a fox came out of the trees. The fox had bright eyes and a bushy tail. He looked around the jungle before heading toward the cave. The lion’s stomach growled loudly. “Ah! A fox! This will be my dinner!” thought the lion. “I will hide inside the cave and pounce on him when he comes back!”

But the fox was very clever. He stopped outside the cave and looked carefully. Then he noticed something strange. There were big footprints around the entrance of the cave. “Hmm… someone has been here recently,” the fox said to himself. “I must be careful. Maybe there is a lion hiding inside.”

The fox smiled and came up with a plan. He called out in a loud voice, “Hello, cave! Is it safe for me to come inside?”

The lion was surprised. “What? The cave is talking?!” he thought. He was confused at first, but then he realized the fox was clever and was trying to trick him.

The fox asked again, “Dear cave, is it safe for me to enter?”

The lion wanted to trick the fox too. He decided to pretend to be the cave. He took a deep breath and roared in a deep, rumbling voice, “Yes, it is safe! Come in, little fox. Make yourself comfortable.”

But the fox was smart. He stopped, twitched his tail, and said, “Hmm… that does not sound like the cave. That sounds like the lion himself!”

The fox quickly ran away, laughing. “Thank you, cave, for warning me!” he said. “I will come back another day, when it is safe.”

The old lion felt very disappointed. “Oh no! I almost had a meal. That fox is too clever for me,” he sighed. Then he slowly left the cave and wandered through the jungle again, looking for food.

From that day on, the old lion learned an important lesson. He learned that it is not enough to be strong. Brains and cleverness can be even stronger than muscles. He also learned to respect other animals, even small and weak ones, because they might surprise you with their intelligence.

The fox, on the other hand, went back to his home in the trees. He was proud of himself for outsmarting the king of the jungle. He told his friends about the story, and they all laughed and said, “Well done, clever fox! You are very smart!”

The jungle became peaceful again, and the old lion kept wandering. He sometimes thought about the clever fox and smiled. He realized that even though he was strong, he could not win every time. And that was okay.

And so, the fox lived happily ever after, using his wit and cleverness to stay safe. The lion, though old and tired, learned a valuable lesson: respect and intelligence are very important, even in the jungle.

THE END

Moral of the Story

Brains are often stronger than brawn. Respect others and never underestimate anyone, no matter how small or weak they seem.


Questions and Answers for Kids

Comprehension Questions (What happened?)

  1. Q: Who was the main character of the story?
    A: The main character was an old lion.

  2. Q: Why was the lion weak and tired?
    A: Because he was old and could not hunt for food like before.

  3. Q: What did the lion find in the jungle one day?
    A: He found a dark cave.

  4. Q: Who came out of the cave?
    A: A clever fox came out of the cave.

  5. Q: Did the lion manage to catch the fox?
    A: No, the fox was clever and tricked the lion.

Vocabulary and Understanding Questions

  1. Q: What does “clever” mean?
    A: Clever means smart and able to think quickly.

  2. Q: What does “ambush” mean?
    A: Ambush means hiding and waiting to surprise someone.

  3. Q: Why do you think the fox called out to the cave?
    A: To trick the lion and stay safe.

Thinking Questions (Why and How?)

  1. Q: Why did the fox not go into the cave?
    A: Because the fox knew the lion was hiding inside and it would not be safe.

  2. Q: How did the fox trick the lion?
    A: The fox pretended to talk to the cave, making the lion reveal his voice.

  3. Q: What lesson did the lion learn at the end?
    A: He learned that brains and cleverness can be stronger than muscles, and we should not underestimate others.

  4. Q: Why is it important to respect others, even if they are small or weak?
    A: Because they may be smarter or have clever ideas.

Moral and Life Lesson Questions

  1. Q: What is the moral of the story?
    A: Brains are stronger than brawn, and intelligence and respect are important.

  2. Q: Can you think of a time when being clever helped you, like the fox?
    A: (Open-ended – lets the child relate the story to real life.)

  3. Q: Who do you think was braver in the story, the lion or the fox? Why?
    A: The fox was braver because he faced danger and used his mind to stay safe.

Fun Questions for Discussion

  1. Q: If you were the lion, what would you have done differently?
    A: (Children can answer their own ideas.)

  2. Q: Can you make up another ending for the story?
    A: (Encourages creativity.)

  3. Q: Who is your favorite character, the lion or the fox? Why?
    A: (Open-ended to build expression skills.)




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