A Lion and a Monkey

     Once upon a time, when the earth was young and the animals were still forming themselves, the lands were wild, free and unrestrained. There was nothing and nobody to reign over the animals, who existed mostly as friends and fellows. They wandered the countryside and the meadows and the forests, searching for meaning to their lives. As none of them had found this elusive meaning, there was no way for them to conflict. Harmony was the ruling principle. Peace was the goddess of this earth, watching over the children of nature with a watchful eye and a forgiving heart. Life was good. That was the unanimous feeling among those who lived.

     However, as is wont to happen, this was not to be forever. This peace could not continue, for it is not the way of the world to exist on one plane. Change is the spirit of nature, and never can nature turn its back on its spirit. It so happened that living as equals was not satisfying for each other the animals. The mighty Lion wondered why he should lower himself to the level of the antelope. He was large and strong. His claws were sharp, and his teeth glistened. Whereas he was worthy of kingdom, the antelope was worthy only to be his servant. To lie in the dust at his paws and submit to his rule. This was the mindset of the Lion, and as he was lying lazily, basking in the glory of himself and of the sunlight, he began to wonder how to put this plan into action.

     Now, far into the distance, there was a mountain. This mountain was many many miles away, barely visible from the plain that the Lion called home. Shrouded in fog, this mountain was home to a very wise sage, who was rumored to know the secrets of life and the universe. This sage had not been seen for many a decade; he was retired, it was said. No longer did he concern himself with the dealings of the lowly animals, who wandered the plains and the forests and the meadows, looking for meaning to their lives. It was unknown why this grand sage had quit the world and left behind the mortals who dwelt below. All that was known was that he had not been even glimpsed in many generations. Every so often, on the top of that tallest mountain, the whispering smoke of a campfire could be spotted by only those with the most keen eyes. It was by that way that it was known that the sage lived on, although he lived apart from the creatures he had once walked among.

     “No matter,” thought the great Lion. “I am a notch above the rest. If only I journey to the sage, he will grant me an audience and tell me how to gain dominion over the animals.” And so it was that the Lion began to hatch his plan. King of the Beasts? That was not title enough. He sought more, much more. He would not stop until he had it. The very next day, the Lion rose from his slumber, stretched his paws to welcome the day, and began his journey.

     The mountain loomed ahead, terrible and forbidding, but the Lion paid no mind to this. He was on his way to his destiny. Many days passed as he plodded ever forwards towards the retired sage. He walked the plains, the forests, and the jungles. Every step took him closer, but still he was far away and he was becoming tired. He stepped off the path and settled down into the soft grass on the side of the road. A big tree, covered in thorns, offered shelter against the scolding sunlight. Before long, the Lion was asleep, curled up like a kitten and gently snoring. After a while, the Lion awoke and found himself consumed with an unbearable thirst. He looked around, and there was no stream, no lake, no river as far as his sharp eyes could see. The thirst was burning his throat; he was absolutely parched. Gazing up at the thorn covered tree, the Lion saw that the branches were heavily laden with fat juicy papayas. His mouth watered with longing. If only he could climb the thorny tree, his thirst would be quenched. However, if he attempted the climb, he’d be plucking thorns from the soft pads of his paws for weeks! The Lion paced back and forth, in and out of the shade, trembling with the weight of his decision.

     Suddenly, a flash of movement, half-hidden in the multitude of branches, caught the Lion’s eye. A furry little creature with a long tail and a laughing smile gazed fearlessly down at the Lion with big brown eyes.

     “What is it you seek, mighty Lion?” chuckled the Monkey.

     “I want one of your papayas,” roared the Lion. “Throw one down to me, at once!”

     The Monkey simply regarded the Lion, standing arrogantly at the foot of the tree, completely unaware that he had no power in this situation. “And what if I refuse?”

     “Then you shall face my fury!” With this, the Lion reared up on his back paws and let forth a growl that shook the tree from the tips of the leaves to the ends of the roots. He put his forepaws on the bark of the tree, intending to push it over or die trying. Surprised, he yelped in pain as the thorns of the tree struck at the flesh of his vulnerable paws.

     “You will have to try another tactic, Lion, if you wish to receive one of my papayas!”

     Sulking, the Lion replied, “What did you have in mind, Monkey?”

     “What if you tried asking nicely?”

      The Lion scoffed and began to wander away in search of another source of water. With every step he took, the monster in his throat screamed louder for water. His body began to tremble, and spots began to dance in his eyes. His paws were aching. His body prayed for rest. He took a final step before collapsing in the dirt, merely feet away from the thorny tree and its mischievous occupant. The last sight to grace his eyes was a glimpse of the Monkey, scurrying towards him with a worried look weighting his brow.

     When the Lion finally regained consciousness, the Monkey was standing over him, even though it was obvious by the sun that many hours had passed. The Monkey offered him the juice of a papaya, and the Lion gracelessly slurped it down as quickly as he could.

     “Monkey, I disrespected you terribly. Why do you help me now?”

     “Because, Lion, I have the opportunity to teach you a lesson today. Remember this, even if you remember nothing else of this experience. We were never meant to lord dominion over each other, because none of us has absolute power. You may have been King upon the plains that you call home, but see how your power was useless when you desired my papayas? Remember this, Lion. Live at one with your fellow creatures, or do not live at all. The creatures of the world must either stand together or they will be doomed to die alone.”