The Clever Rabbit and the Foolish Lion - Indian

Hello there! My name is Shashaka, and my long ears can hear the softest whisper of the wind through the tall grass. I live in a beautiful, sunny forest filled with chattering monkeys and colorful birds, but lately, a dark shadow has fallen over our home. A mighty but very foolish lion named Bhasuraka declared himself king and demanded that one of us bring ourselves to his den every day for his dinner! All my friends were so scared, and our happy home became a place of worry. This is the story of how a small rabbit like me faced a big problem, a tale people now call The Clever Rabbit and the Foolish Lion.

One day, it was my turn. My heart thumped like a drum, but as I hopped slowly toward the lion's den, an idea sparked in my mind. I decided to be very, very late. When I finally arrived, Bhasuraka was roaring with hunger and rage. 'Why are you so late, you tiny meal?' he bellowed. Taking a deep breath, I told him a story. 'O great King,' I said, bowing low. 'It is not my fault. On my way here, another lion, who claimed to be the real king of this forest, stopped me! He said you were a fake.' The lion’s pride was hurt. He puffed out his chest and roared, 'Another king? Impossible! Take me to this imposter at once!'.

I led the fuming lion across the forest to a deep, dark well filled with still water. 'He lives down there, your majesty,' I whispered, pointing into the well. Bhasuraka stomped to the edge and peered in. He saw his own angry face looking back at him from the water's surface. Thinking it was the other lion, he let out the biggest roar he could! The reflection roared silently back. Blind with fury, the foolish lion leaped into the well with a tremendous splash to fight his own reflection, and was never seen again. I hopped back to my friends, and a great cheer went up through the trees. We were finally free! Our little community learned that you don’t have to be the biggest or the strongest to solve a problem; sometimes, a clever mind is the most powerful tool of all. This story, from a very old collection of Indian tales called the Panchatantra, has been told for thousands of years to remind everyone that wit can be stronger than might. It still inspires children today to think creatively and bravely, proving that even the smallest among us can make a very big difference.