Here it is, this fairy tale. Now you will hear it. She is here. She is nearby. Here it is already beginning - a fairy tale about a jackal and a lion.
A mighty lion - the king of the desert - made friends with a jackal. They went to visit each other and, sitting side by side, peacefully talked about this and that.
It is true what they say that the jackal has wisdom in his feet. There was no corner of the desert where he did not look. No matter what happened, the jackal was the first to find out about everything. No worse than a chatty old woman, he spread throughout the world everything he heard and what he did not hear.
One day the lion said to the jackal:
- Listen, you know everything, you teach everyone, you give advice to everyone. You are called the sage of the desert. Maybe you can find a word of wisdom for me too?
Jackal replied:
- Leo! You are the king of the desert. And whatever the king wishes will happen. If he says: I want this, I want that, what do his servants do? What the master ordered them to do. So what advice can I give you? But you are my friend. So I tell you: fear what you don't know. What was, was. But the worst thing is what has not yet happened.
“So tell me, what should I be afraid of?” - asked the lion.
“King of the desert,” answered the jackal, “beware of meeting a man.”
The lion's eyes became bloodshot from anger.
He said:
“Who is this man that I should be afraid of him?” Bring me a man. I want to see him.
- King of the desert! - answered the jackal. - Remember what I tell you. A madman who wants to swallow an ax must have the ax taken away. Anyone who does not hear a reasonable word must be brought to reason with a word. But if the king of the desert wants something, it will be as he wants.
Leo ordered his subjects to be summoned and when they arrived he said:
-Where is the hyena? Where is the mottled skin? The hyena stepped forward.
- I'm here! - she answered. “I, your father’s slave, came to serve you, the king of the desert.”
Lev said:
- I want you to bring a person to me. Who, besides you, can do this? Out of fear of you, no one even dares to shout. You attack with such fury that it seems to everyone as if a whole flock of animals attacked him.
Hyena said:
- King of the desert! Here is my neck, better cut off my head, just don’t send for a man. Whoever finds a person will find his death. I am telling you this, a hyena, and every inhabitant of the desert will repeat my words.
Leo didn't answer.
He said:
-Where is the brave monkey? Call the monkey here! The monkey has arrived.
- Here I am! Hello, king of the desert! Did you call me?
Lev said:
“I want to see what they call a man.” Bring him here. You are fearless. It doesn't cost you anything.
The monkey said:
- King of the desert! You are free to do whatever you want with me, but I will not bring you a man.
Then the lion said:
-Where is the leopard? Where is the indomitable one? The leopard has arrived.
“I’m here,” he said, “I’ve come.”
“You are the fastest, the most dexterous,” said the lion. “Whoever touches you with his finger will never see his home again.” You alone will do what I ask. You bring me a man.
“King of the desert,” said the leopard, “it’s better to kill me yourself, but don’t send me to a person.”
Then the lion said:
-Where is the sage of the desert? Where is my friend? Where is the jackal?
“I’m here,” answered the jackal.
“You will come with me,” the lion told him, “and show me the man.” I want to see him.
“Okay, I’ll go with you,” the jackal agreed, “but if trouble happens, don’t say it’s my fault.”
And they went to where the young shepherd was grazing cows in a green meadow. The shepherd carried a club on his shoulder and had a wide belt in his hands. The shepherd walked ahead of the herd and waved his belt so that the cows would not stray from the road. The jackal brought the lion out into the open and said:
- King of the desert, here is a man!
- Where, where is he? - asked the lion.
- Look, the one who walks ahead of the herd is a person.
- Is this the man? And should I be afraid of him?
The lion jumped out onto the road and rushed at the shepherd.
But the young shepherd was not afraid. He grabbed his club with both hands, swung it and struck the lion between the eyes with such a blow that the king of the desert fell to the ground dead.
The young shepherd led his cows further, and the lion remained lying on the road. Then the jackal, looking around fearfully, crawled up to the lion and whispered in his ear:
-King of the desert! You have now seen a man. Now you yourself know that I was right. But what happened is gone. Let's run quickly before they chase us. What didn't happen is worse than what already happened.
The lion moved one paw and the other and slowly stood up.
“Jackal, your wisdom is great,” said the lion. “There is no one stronger than man.” We need to get out of here quickly.
And they started to run.
Since then, whenever the lion remembers a person, he roars loudly. And at this time the jackal tries not to catch his eye. After all, the jackal saw the mighty lion defeated and weak and knows that the lion will never forgive him for this.
That's it. The tale of the lion and the jackal is over.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru