Some time passed, and Leo, as it seemed to everyone, calmed down and began to forget about the Jackal. He no longer looked for him and did not ask anyone about him. In fact, Leo decided to lure the Jackal into his cave by cunning.
Leo pretended to be sick and weak, as if he was about to give up his soul to God. A rumor spread that he was asking all the animals to visit him, so that before his death he could see them and forgive each other all their insults. The animals believed and came. One after another they entered the cave, and Lev single-handedly dealt with each of them and ate them. No one came out of there alive and unharmed.
The Jackal also appeared. But before entering, he shouted:
- How are you feeling, king of beasts? The Lion listened, recognized the Jackal's voice and began to moan pitifully, as if his hour of death had come.
- Come in, Jackal, let's kiss as a sign of reconciliation, I'm dying!
However, the cunning Jackal is not so easy to deceive.
“Let’s make peace, but I’m in a hurry about my business and can’t come in,” he answered.
As soon as the Lion lured the Jackal, he did not give in to persuasion.
“I only see traces leading into your cave, but I don’t see any traces leading out,” answered the Jackal. The lion could not stand it and roared:
- Damn you, traitor! Let the guilt of killing those you betrayed weigh heavily on your conscience! And know, from now on we are enemies, from today there will be enmity between me and you, my and your offspring until the end of the world!
To this day, enmity remains between lions and jackals. When the howl of one or a pack of jackals is heard in a village at night, it means there is no lion nearby. When, on the contrary, silence reigns and the jackals are silent, it means that the king of beasts, the owner of this region, is wandering somewhere nearby.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru