Aesop | Greece
The Kingdom of The Lion
Lion proclaims peaceful kingdom in the jungle, but the skeptical Hare doubts if the predator can truly change, choosing safety over hope.
Once upon a time, deep in the jungle, the Lion, the strongest of all animals, decided to make his own kingdom. He roared loudly so everyone could hear, saying that in his kingdom, all animals, big and small, should live together peacefully. "Let's stop chasing and hunting each other. We should all be friends," he said.
Animals from all over the jungle came to see what was happening. They were excited about this new idea of a kingdom where no one would be afraid. The Hare, who was very fast and always careful, also heard the Lion's big announcement. He stopped and listened carefully, his ears twitching and his whiskers shaking a little with worry.
Even though the Lion spoke nicely and the other animals were happy, the Hare remembered seeing the Lion hunt other animals before. The Lion had always been a hunter, and the Hare had always been one of the hunted.
"Living in peace sounds wonderful," the Hare thought, "but is it really possible? Can the Lion stop being a hunter?" Feeling unsure, the Hare made a hard choice. He didn't go to the Lion's new kingdom. Instead, he ran away to a place he felt was safer than the promise of a peaceful kingdom.
