The Fox and The Sick Lion
A sick lion tricked animals into his cave, but a clever fox refused to enter, avoiding the lion's trap.
In a beautiful green forest, there was a lion who was the king of all the animals. One day, the lion got very sick and was too weak to hunt for food. He had a clever idea and roared loudly to call the other animals.
Animals from all over the forest came to the lion's cave to visit him and show sympathy. They walked in, but strangely, none of them walked out again. The lion's trick was working; he was eating the animals that came to see him.
Later that afternoon, a fox came near the cave. He saw all the footprints going into the cave but none coming out. The fox was smart and careful. He thought, "Something is wrong here."
Standing at the entrance, the fox called out, "How are you feeling today, king of the forest?" The lion answered with a weak roar, "I'm not well, dear fox. Please come inside."
The clever fox replied, "I would like to come in, but I see many footprints going into your cave and none coming out. That doesn't look safe to me. I think I'll stay out here."
With that, the wise fox walked away safely, leaving the hungry lion alone in his cave.
Audio available for B1 version
Read Along unavailable for this story
In a beautiful green forest, there was a lion who was the king of all the animals.
One day, the lion got very sick and was too weak to hunt for food.
He had a clever idea and roared loudly to call the other animals.
Animals from all over the forest came to the lion's cave to visit him and show sympathy.
They walked in, but strangely, none of them walked out again.
The lion's trick was working; he was eating the animals that came to see him.
Later that afternoon, a fox came near the cave.
He saw all the footprints going into the cave but none coming out.
The fox was smart and careful.
He thought, "Something is wrong here."
Standing at the entrance, the fox called out, "How are you feeling today, king of the forest?"
The lion answered with a weak roar, "I'm not well, dear fox.
Please come inside."
The clever fox replied, "I would like to come in, but I see many footprints going into your cave and none coming out.
That doesn't look safe to me.
I think I'll stay out here."
With that, the wise fox walked away safely, leaving the hungry lion alone in his cave.
Something went wrong. Please try again.
Word Finder
Sympathy
Feeling pity for someone else's problems.Clever
Quick to understand and make good decisions.Footprints
Marks left by feet on a surface.Weak
Lacking physical strength or energy.Entrance
A place where you can enter.Roared
Made a loud, deep sound.Strangely
In a way that is unusual or surprising.Careful
Paying attention to avoid danger or mistakes.Afternoon
The time of day between noon and evening.Wise
Having good judgment based on experience or knowledge.
Understanding Questions
- Why did the lion call the other animals to his cave?
- What did the animals do when they arrived at the lion's cave?
- How did the fox know something was wrong at the lion's cave?
- What did the fox say to the lion when he arrived at the cave?
- What happened to the fox after he decided not to enter the cave?
Reflection Questions
- Why do you think the fox was the only animal to notice that none of the other animals were leaving the lion's cave?
- How did the fox show his cleverness in this story?
- What lesson does this story teach about paying attention to details and thinking before we act?
- Can you think of a time when you observed something carefully, like the fox, and it helped you make a better decision?
- How can we apply the lesson from this story in our daily lives to be more observant and cautious?
Fable Quotes
Caution is the shield that guards against the unseen dangers.
Resourcefulness is a lamp in the dark, guiding the way.
The truly wise learn to read the signs that others ignore.
Just One More Fable
- Moderation
- Greed
The Boy and the Filberts
A boy learns to be content by taking fewer nuts, allowing him to easily free his hand from a jar.
- Value
- Contentment
The Fisherman and The Little Fish
A poor fisherman catches a tiny fish that pleads for its life, but he refuses and takes it home.
- Contentment
- Understanding
The Inquisitive Cat
A curious cat, confused by its reflection in a mirror, decides to focus on simple pleasures after a failed investigation.
- Unity
- Courage
The Bird Pair and The Sea
A pair of birds lose their eggs to the sea, but with determination and unity, they retrieve them.