0033. The Hare and the Lion

From The Enchanted Parrot: The Shuka Saptati, or, The Seventy Tales of a Parrot, translated by B. Hale Wortham, online at: Internet Archive.

Notes. You can find out more about the Shuka Saptati at Wikipedia. This story is also found in the Panchatantra and related storytelling traditions, which is why there is an illustration below from a manuscript of Kalila-wa-Dimna, an Arabic version of the Panchatantra.

Summary: A sly rabbit decides to challenge the tyrannical rule of the lion.

Read the story below:

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THE HARE AND THE LION

(from a 14th-century Arabic version)

In a forest called Madhara lived a lion whose name was Pingala. He was the terror of all the beasts in the forest, for he used to wander about and kill one after another. So they met together and made a bargain with him, that if he would leave them alone, they would supply him every day with one beast for his dinner.

At last a hare's turn came to satisfy the lion's hunger and he declined to carry out the agreement.

The other animals remonstrated with him and said: "You must go, or we shall have the lion eating up all the beasts as he used to do."

The hare replied: "Don't trouble yourselves! He won't eat up many
more."

So at about midday he appeared before the lion, going very slowly, and said: "Sir! I was travelling along the road to come to you, when I was seized and kept a prisoner by one of your enemies; so I am afraid I am a little late!"

"One of my enemies!" exclaimed the lion; "and pray where is he? Let me see him at once."

The cunning hare led the lion into an enclosure where there was a well, and looking down into the water the lion saw his own reflection. The foolish lion thereupon in a great rage jumped down into the water and was drowned.

For it has been said —

Wisdom, not force, is the support of a people in fear:
Just as a mighty lion was killed by an insignificant hare.