Aesop
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Greece

The Lion and The Eagle

Eagle proposed alliance to lion for mutual benefit, but lion wanted assurance of trust as eagle's escape to sky raised doubts.
Trust
Responsibility
Wisdom
Aesop's Fables - The Lion and The Eagle
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, high in the sky, an eagle was soaring through the clouds. Down below, she spotted a lion, the king of the animals. The eagle thought for a moment and decided to land beside the lion, offering him a proposal.

"Lion," she called out, "I propose we form an alliance, for our shared benefit. We can protect each other from threats and share in each other's prosperity."

The lion tilted his head, considering the eagle's words. He found no flaw in the idea, yet a concern surfaced in his mind.

"I see no problem with your offer," the lion said, "but I have one condition. You must assure me that you won't simply fly away when things get difficult. How can I trust that you will stay true to our pact when you have the sky as your escape?"

The eagle stood silent, understanding the lion's concern. The alliance, although sounding promising, was left uncertain because trust, the most essential part of any alliance, needed to be established first.

Once upon a time, way up in the sky—like, you know, waaay up—an eagle was doing loop-de-loops and feeling all sorts of awesome. Down below, she saw a lion who looked like he was having a royal parade... of one.

The eagle swooped down, landing as if she were the star of her own action movie. "Hey, Fluffy Mane, how about we team up? You know, like a superhero duo but without the capes. I could even be your eye-in-the-sky!"

The lion looked puzzled, scratching his head with a paw as if solving a really hard math problem. "Hmm, I like your vibe, Feathered Friend. But I got one teensy concern. You can fly away into the sky when things get tricky, but me? I'm stuck on the ground!"

The eagle chuckled, tilting her head as if she'd just heard a joke but hadn't quite gotten the punchline yet. "So you're saying I've got the whole sky to zip away, and you've only got the ground to roam?"

The lion laughed, "Exactly, my friend! It's like you have wings and I have paws."

The eagle thought for a tick, "Okay, you've got a point. It's like a trust fall, but you're worried I'll fly before the 'fall' part."

The lion gave a hearty chuckle. "Bingo! So how do we make sure this is a real team-up and not a one-fly wonder?"

They stared at each other for a moment, each pondering the gravity of the situation. Then the eagle said, "Trust is like baking a cake. First, you need the right ingredients, then you gotta mix 'em, and finally, you wait for it to rise. No shortcuts!"

The lion nodded, "A cake, you say? I'm more of a meat pie guy, but I get it. Trust first, team-up next!"

So, both the eagle and the lion realized they were onto something great. But before they went all "Avengers Assemble," they knew they had to assemble trust first. Because, you know, without trust, you're just an eagle with a plan to leave and a lion who can't follow.

High above, in the clear blue sky,
An eagle flew, soaring so high.
Below, a lion with a mane so grand,
Ruled all the land, with a mighty hand.

Down she swooped, with an idea so bright,
"Dear lion, if we unite our might,
We could guard each other, day and night,
And in our friendship, find pure delight."

The lion, wise and oh so rare,
Thought about this alliance with care.
"Your plan sounds great, but here's my plea,
How can I trust you won't just flee?

With wings so strong and skies so wide,
Would you stay by my side or hide?
When times get tough and storms begin to show,
Will you stay with me or will you go?"

The eagle paused, deep in thought, it's true,
For trust is vital, through and through.
They both wished for a bond to last,
But knew trust was a bridge to be cast.

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Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think the Eagle wanted to form an alliance with the Lion?
  2. What was the Lion's main concern about forming an alliance with the Eagle?
  3. Can you think of a time when you needed to trust someone else?
  4. What does this story teach us about trust and alliances?
  5. Can you think of a way the Eagle could prove its loyalty to the Lion, based on what we learned from this story?

Fable Quotes

Trust is the wind beneath the wings of an alliance.
True alliances are built on trust, and trust requires responsibility to honor commitments unconditionally.
Wisdom is knowing that true alliances are built on trust, not just promises that can fly away.
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