Enjoy Hundreds of Fables

Free & No Advertising

Timeless stories from around the world in basic, fun and rhyme versions to read or listen to. Provided for free, with no advertising.

New on FableReads
Explore More Fables
Author
Origin
Morale
Audio
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Get Our Free Mega Pack with 100 Fun Exercises for The Lion and The Mouse.
FableReads Images
25 Fables for Fun Quality Time
Our First book “25 Fables for Fun Quality Time” is now available on Amazon!
Enjoy 25 classic fables with reflection questions and fun activities for kids. Buy a book to support ad-free fables online.
Get Your Book
The Lion and The Statue
Audio available for B1 version
0:00
0:00
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/raa3rj27rfkkgg5ibnvkk/The-Lion-and-The-Statue-v2.mp3?rlkey=v1tfknplqoo5tbyn680hxnm7o&st=cr6bsisj&raw=1
Fable of the Month

The Lion and The Statue

One day, a man and a lion talk. They argue about who is stronger. The man says, "Humans are stronger. We are smarter."

"Come with me," says the man. "I will show you proof."

They go to a park. The man shows the lion a statue. The statue shows a strong man beating a lion.

"Look," says the man. "This shows a man beating a lion."

The lion looks at the statue. He looks at the man. "A man made this statue," says the lion. "If a lion made it, the statue shows a lion beating a man."

The man is surprised. He learns that the story depends on who tells it.

Once upon a time, a man and a lion were talking. They argued about who was stronger. The man said humans were stronger because they were smarter.

"Come with me," said the man. "I will show you proof."

He took the lion to a park and showed him a statue. The statue was of Hercules, a strong man, defeating a lion.

"Look," said the man proudly. "This shows a man beating a lion."

The lion looked at the statue and then at the man. "That's interesting," he said. "But remember, a man made that statue. If a lion made it, it would show a lion defeating a man."

The man was surprised. He had not thought that the way we see the world depends on who tells the story.

In a faraway land, a man and a lion were engaged in a heated debate. They were arguing about who was the stronger of the two. The man believed that humans were stronger because they possessed greater intelligence.

"Come with me," the man said confidently. "I will show you evidence."

He led the lion to a beautiful park and pointed to a grand statue. The statue depicted Hercules, a legendary strongman, triumphantly defeating a lion.

"Observe," the man said proudly. "This statue clearly demonstrates a man overpowering a lion."

The lion examined the statue carefully, then turned to the man with a thoughtful expression. "This is indeed interesting," he remarked. "However, keep in mind that this statue was created by a man. If a lion had crafted it, it would show a lion defeating a man."

The man was taken aback. He had never considered that our perspective of the world is shaped by the storyteller.

In a world, not too unlike this one, where talking statues are a thing and animals chat about strength contests over tea, a Man and a Lion were deep in discussion.

"Clearly," said the Man, puffing out his chest, "we humans are the bee's knees, the top banana, the pièce de résistance of strength, not because of these muscles," he flexed an underwhelming bicep, "but because we've got this." He tapped his head.

The Lion, yawning and stretching like it was a lazy Sunday, replied, "Do enlighten me."

Striding forward with all the enthusiasm of someone who'd just discovered toast can be both crunchy and soft, the Man declared, "Follow me! I've got something to show you."

So off they went, the Man leading the Lion to a public garden. Kids were playing, birds were singing, and somewhere, probably, a cake was being dropped. At the center of the garden was a grand statue of Hercules making a Lion tap out in a wrestling match.

Waving a hand like he'd just unveiled a magical trick, the Man said, "Ta-da! Behold, man's triumph over the lion!"

The Lion squinted, leaned closer, and after what seemed like a long contemplation, said, "Hmm, fascinating. But just a tiny observation: was this statue by any chance... carved by a man?"

The Man blinked, "Well, yes, but what's your point?"

The Lion, smirking like he'd just remembered where he hid his favorite toy, replied, "Well, if a Lion had been the sculptor, the statue would probably be of a lion giving a man a noogie or a wedgie or something equally undignified. You do realize the storyteller gets to pick the ending, right?"

And the Man stood there, mouth agape, realizing that perhaps statues shouldn't be his go-to argument. Then, looking at the Lion, he chuckled, "Well, I guess you have a point there! Shall we go grab some ice cream, or are you too worried about a brain freeze?"

The Lion rolled his eyes but smiled, "Only if you're buying. You know, since you humans are so clever."

And off they went, two new friends, walking side by side, each thinking they'd won the debate but content to let it lie. After all, ice cream awaited, and that's a victory everyone can enjoy!

Through a meadow, bright and wide,
Strolled a Man with Lion by his side.
"Who’s the strongest?" they’d debate,
Walking on, by fate's own gate.

"Human minds," said the Man with pride,
"Make us strong, with hands untied.
Though a lion's might is grand,
It's the human mind that rules the land."

"To the park!" the Man did claim,
To show the Lion a special frame.
A statue stood, bold and tall,
Of Hercules, making the Lion small.

"Look here," the Man said with glee,
"A man’s triumph, as clear as can be!"
But the Lion, with a smirk so sly,
Had a thought, and caught the Man's eye.

"If a lion had crafted that very art,
The scene would have a different part.
Man under paw, and lion above,
It all depends on the hand that wore the glove."

The Man paused, his pride a bit sore,
Realizing there was so much more.
Each tale's twist, each story's bend,
Depends on who tells it, from start to end.

Word Finder
  1. Argue

    Talk and disagree about something.

  2. Stronger

    More powerful than another person or thing.

  3. Smarter

    More clever or intelligent.

  4. Proof

    Something that shows something is true.

  5. Statue

    A carved or made figure of a person or animal.

  6. Beating

    Hitting and winning over someone.

  7. Shows

    Makes something visible or clear to others.

  8. Depends

    Is influenced or decided by something else.

  9. Tells

    Says or speaks something to someone.

  10. Surprised

    Feeling amazed or shocked by something unexpected.

  1. Argued

    Talked angrily with different ideas.

  2. Stronger

    Having more power or force.

  3. Humans

    People, not animals.

  4. Proof

    Something that shows the truth.

  5. Statue

    A carved figure of a person or animal.

  6. Hercules

    A very strong man in old stories.

  7. Defeating

    Winning against someone or something.

  8. Proudly

    Feeling happy about something you did.

  9. Depends

    Is decided by something else.

  10. Surprised

    Feeling shocked by something unexpected.

  1. Engaged

    Took part in an activity or conversation.

  2. Debate

    A formal discussion with different points of view.

  3. Arguing

    Talking with someone because you disagree.

  4. Confidently

    Feeling sure about yourself and your abilities.

  5. Evidence

    Information that shows something is true or real.

  6. Grand

    Large and impressive in size or appearance.

  7. Depicted

    Showed or represented in a picture or sculpture.

  8. Triumphantly

    In a way that shows great victory or success.

  9. Overpowering

    Stronger than something or someone else.

  10. Considered

    Thought about something carefully before making a decision.

  1. Contests

    Competitions where people try to be the best.

  2. Declaration

    An announcement or statement made clearly.

  3. Contemplation

    Deep thinking about something.

  4. Revealed

    Showed or made known something hidden.

  5. Triumph

    A great victory or achievement.

  6. Sculptor

    A person who makes statues or sculptures.

  7. Undignified

    Lacking respect or dignity.

  8. Observation

    A remark or statement based on what is seen.

  9. Sculpture

    A statue or other three-dimensional artwork.

  10. Argument

    A reason given to support or oppose something.

  1. Meadow

    Open field full of grass and flowers.

  2. Debate

    Discuss or argue about something.

  3. Fate

    What happens, often believed to be controlled by a higher power.

  4. Pride

    Feeling of great satisfaction or self-respect.

  5. Triumph

    Great victory or achievement.

  6. Sly

    Clever in a tricky way.

  7. Crafted

    Made or created with skill.

  8. Art

    Creative work, like a painting or statue.

  9. Scene

    A view or picture of something happening.

  10. Depends

    Determined by something else.

Understanding Questions
  1. Who argues about who is stronger?

    1. A man and a woman
    2. A man and a lion
    3. A man and a dog
    4. A lion and a tiger
  2. Where do the man and the lion go to find proof?

    1. To a zoo
    2. To a school
    3. To a park
    4. To a forest
  3. What does the man show the lion in the park?

    1. A painting
    2. A tree
    3. A statue
    4. A building
  4. What does the statue show?

    1. A lion beating a man
    2. A man beating a lion
    3. A man running from a lion
    4. A lion sleeping
  5. What lesson does the man learn?

    1. Lions are stronger than men.
    2. Stories depend on who tells them.
    3. Statues are important.
    4. Parks are nice places.
  1. What were the man and the lion arguing about?
  2. Why did the man believe humans were stronger than lions?
  3. Where did the man take the lion to show proof of his argument?
  4. What point did the lion make about the statue?
  5. What did the man learn from the lion's response?
  1. What argument were the man and the lion having in the beginning of the story?
  2. How did the man try to prove his point about human strength to the lion?
  3. What was depicted in the statue that the man showed to the lion?
  4. How did the lion respond to the man's evidence of the statue?
  5. What realization did the man come to at the end of the fable?
Reflection Questions
  1. Why do you think the Man believed he was stronger than the Lion?
  2. What do you think the Lion meant when he said, "If a Lion had made it, the statue would show a Lion with a Man under its paw"?
  3. Can you think of an example where different people might see the same thing in different ways, just like the Man and the Lion saw the statue differently?
  4. What does this story teach us about perspective and understanding other people's points of view?
  5. How can we apply the lesson from this story in our daily life, to understand and respect others' perspectives?
Fable Quotes
Perception shapes reality, for what we see is often influenced by who tells the story.
Wisdom lies not in dominance, but in the ability to see truth beyond the tales we tell.
True humility is being open to the possibility that our perspective may not always be the complete truth.
About

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Fable Quotes
FableReads
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Join our mailing list to receive a fun fable quiz, featured fables and news from FableReads.
  • Updates on New Fables and Versions
  • Handpicked Fable of the Month
  • Updates On New Features and Teaching Materials
  • Latest Happenings From FableReads
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.