The Fable Continues

     Quite refreshed, the Lion thanked the Monkey sincerely and renewed his journey within the hour. Although the lesson of the Monkey taxed his mind heavily, he decided to continue on towards the mountain to seek the advice of the sage. The sage would, of course, have some advice on the path that the Lion must now take. Perhaps dominion over all the creatures was outlandish, but surely he could learn how to fulfill his destiny, whatever that was.  The sun rose and set five times more before the Lion encountered a wide rushing river. Having been born on the plains and having lived there all his life, the Lion had never bothered to learn how to swim. The river was far too wide and powerful to walk across, and this continued for miles, it appeared. A little farther south, the river widened into sort of lake before quickening again. The Lion wandered down to this area and laid down beside the bank to think for a while. He drank from the river, quenching his thirst until he could drink no more. Resting on the bank of the water, the Lion began to wonder how he would possibly be able to cross this obstacle.

     As the moon rose and illuminated the looming mountain with a silky glow, ripples began to appear in the pool. They grew in size and intensity until a curious Fish’s head poked out of the water. With round blue eyes, the huge silver-scaled Fish, nearly the size of the Lion, regarded the beast who lay before him.

     “What is it that you seek, Lion?” queried the Fish.

     “I seek to gain an audience with the sage who lives on the mountaintop! But I have no way to cross this mighty river.” After his experience with the Monkey, the Lion was careful not to make the same mistake twice. He asked with utmost politeness, “Have you any ideas of how I am to cross?”

     “I’m afraid I haven’t any idea!” the Fish replied. “What is it that you hope to learn from this sage?”

     “I wish to learn from him what my destiny must be.” A hint of arrogance intruded upon the Lion’s voice. “Surely, a creature such as myself must have a destiny!”

     “What about myself, Lion? Must a Fish have a destiny?”

     “I don’t suppose that it must. A Fish is only a Fish. A Fish is not a Lion. Certainly, a Lion must have a destiny.”

     “And why is that? What is it that a Lion has that a Fish does not?” burbled the Fish.

     “A Lion has power! A Lion is grand, a King of whatever he chooses! A Lion is a mighty beast.”

     “Tell me, Lion, why is it that you cannot continue your journey?”

     “I’ve already told you: I cannot swim!”

     “A Fish can swim. A Fish, such as myself, has no trouble crossing this river.”

     The Lion sputtered at this. He tried to make an argument, but nothing came to his mind.

     “Here is a lesson for you, Lion. Do not regard yourself as mightier than another, for not all powers are equal. Perhaps you are bigger than I, and stronger than I. But your power has no weight in my world. Should you try to enter my world, you would surely drown.  Lion, you must learn to live in harmony with the creatures around you. Do not regard yourself as mightier, but neither should you regard yourself as weaker. There is no more or less to be seen in Nature. Each of us creatures is simply a piece in the puzzle. Without any one of the pieces, the puzzle is a ruin.”

     With this, the Fish disappeared into the depths of the water, leaving the Lion to ponder in his own mind. Morning came eventually, although it seemed to the Lion that ages passed before the sun peered down with its singular fiery eye. With the rise of the sun, the Lion staggered to his feet and dipped his face once more into the cool refreshing water. The Fish poked his head up from the depths again.

     “Do you still intend to continue seeking the sage, Lion?” asked the Fish.

     “No, Fish. I believe I will return home to my plain. A Lion is meant to do what a Lion is meant to do, and that is what I have been doing since I was a cub. Thank you, Fish.”

     “Never forget what you have learned on this journey. Remember that the journey is almost always more important than any destination. Be content to be a Lion and live a happy life.”

     The Lion began the journey back to the plains that he called home. With every step, the voices of the wise Monkey and Fish echoed in his fuzzy ears. They were right; the peace that comes with knowledge filled the Lion. As he wandered back towards his life and family, night began to fall, and he moved to the side of the path to take shelter for the night. Beneath the cover of a vine-covered tree, the Lion settled down and rested his giant head upon his paws. His eyes fluttered shut but only for a half second. A stealthy noise whispered a few feet away and woke the sleepy Lion. He rose again and looked around, blinking the sleep from his eyes.

     “Who goes there?” grunted the Lion.

     “It is me, the Fox,” came the answer.

     “What is it that you want, Fox? It is late, and I am trying to sleep.”

     “I hear you are seeking dominion over the earth, Lion. I wish to align myself with you. Too long have creatures such as us submitted to equality. We were meant to rule. With my cleverness and your strength, Lion, we could be mighty.”

     “No, Fox, I am no longer on that path. I have seen the error of that way of life; it is no longer for me.”

     The Fox smiled gently and took another dainty step towards the Lion. “Listen to me, friend. We are two of a kind. Together, think of what we could achieve.”

     The Lion roared angrily. “Leave me, Fox. I will not join you. Leave me to sleep.” He roared again and leapt at the Fox.

     With a yelp, the Fox scurried away into the night, and the Lion settled down to sleep again.

     With the morning, the Lion rose. He resumed his journey back home and walked for several days before finding himself among his fellow Lions once again.

     One of his fellows asked him: “Did you find what you were seeking?”

     The Lion smiled. “Yes,” he said. “I did.”