pappy's paradise plus

THE LION’S SHARE

The Lion once went a-hunting along with the Fox, the Jackal, and the Wolf.  The Lion had an impressive mane, wore plain colored, but elegant suits, and had billions of dollars, much of it in off-shore accounts.  The Fox was, of course, clever, and was constantly heard referring to the Revolution and The Constitution.  He’d vehemently shout, without much provocation, “No taxation without representation!” or “We have a right to bare arms!”  The Fox wore a three-cornered hat with a feather stuck in the band.  The Jackal is an excellent small game hunter, who usually hunts alone or with his mate in a well marked territory.  He has a rustic appearance.  The Wolf is an independent sort who likes to make up his own mind about things, loves his family, and doesn’t always run with the same pack.  Mutual needs brought these diverse types together to hunt, and their leader was the well-positioned Lion.

They hunted and they hunted till at last they surprised a Stag.  The Stag was noble and brave, but too peaceful for these unrelenting hunters and soon the Stag lost its life.  Then came the question how the spoil should be divided.  “Quarter me this Stag,” roared the Lion; so the other animals skinned it and cut it into four parts.  Then the Lion took his stand in front of the carcass and pronounced judgment:  The first quarter is for me in my capacity as King of Beasts; the second is mine as arbiter; another share comes to me for my part in the chase, and as for the fourth quarter, well, as for that, I should like to see which of you will dare to lay a paw upon it.”

“Humph,” grumbled the Fox as he walked away with his tail between his legs; but he spoke in a low growl, “You may share the labours of the great, but you will not share the spoil.”


A Fable by Aesop with contemporary elaboration.  FDF