The Revenge

The King of the forest fell ill. Despite several treatments, he did not get better. Finally, Lion’s son, the Prince, suggested that the King would get better if he ate each variety of animal in the forest.

So the King proclaimed that all the animals should come to him. Then he ate all of them. The Fox failed to turn up before the Lion, and Lion’s illness was not cured.

“You’re yet to eat the Fox,” the Prince told his father. “You’ll be cured only after eating him.” At once, the King sent for the Fox. The Fox came and stood before the Lion.

“We sent for all the animals,” demanded the Lion. “How was it that you alone failed to come?”

“Be patient with me, Your Highness,” said the Fox. “I had a dream about your illness. I kept away so that I needn’t tell you about that dream.”

“Why? What was that dream?” the Lion asked.

“I dreamt,” replied the Fox, “that you ate the nearest of your kin and got better.”

At once, the Lion fell upon the Prince and ate him. Thus the Fox wreaked vengeance upon the Prince for what he did to the other animals.