By In the heart of an old Indian forest, there lived a lion who had once been strong and fierce.
But now he had grown old and weak. His teeth were dull, and his legs could hardly chase prey anymore.
One afternoon, as he lay hungry and tired in his cave, he said to himself,
“If I can no longer hunt, I must find another way to fill my stomach — or I will starve.”
He thought for a long time and finally came up with a clever but wicked plan.
“I will pretend to be sick,” he decided. “And when animals come to visit me, I will make them my meal!”
So the lion lay on the floor of his cave, groaning loudly, “Oh… I am so weak! I can hardly move!”
Hearing this, one kind deer came to see him. “Oh dear Lion, are you unwell?”
But before the deer could step back, the lion pounced — and that was the end of her.
The trick worked for a few days. Animals kept visiting — a rabbit, a goat, even a wild boar —
and none of them ever came back.
But evil plans don’t last long.
One day, a fox, known in the forest for his sharp mind, came to visit the lion.
Standing at the mouth of the cave, the fox called out,
“Good morning, Lion Sir! How are you today?”
The lion groaned softly, “Oh, my friend… I am very sick. Come closer and see me one last time.”
But the fox did not move. He looked carefully at the ground and said,
“I can see the footprints of many animals going into your cave — but none coming out.
Forgive me, my friend, but I’m not foolish enough to come inside.”
The lion stayed silent, his trick exposed. The fox then called out to the other animals,
“Be careful! The lion is not sick — he is hungry!”
And from that day, no creature ever trusted the lion again.
He remained alone in his cave, learning too late that deceit always brings downfall.
Moral of the Story:
Be alert — clever minds see truth where others see lies.
🧠 Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Prey | An animal hunted by another for food |
| Wicked | Evil or bad in nature |
| Pounced | Jumped suddenly to attack |
| Deceit | Dishonest trick or lie |
| Downfall | A person’s or plan’s failure or ruin |
🌍 Glossary
| Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Fox | A clever wild animal known for its intelligence |
| Lion | The king of the jungle, often symbolizing power |
| Cave | A natural hollow place in the ground or rock |
| Indian Forest | Typical setting for many Panchatantra-style moral tales |
| Footprints | Marks left by feet or paws on the ground |
