Aesop | Greece
The Gnat and The Lion
A boastful Gnat stings a resting Lion, causing the Lion to hurt himself, but the Gnat gets caught in a spider's web, becoming its meal.
Once upon a time, there was a Gnat who liked to brag about his strength. One day, he saw a Lion resting under a tree and decided he would prove his might.
The Gnat flew swiftly towards the Lion and stung him right on his face. Startled, the Lion woke up from his peaceful nap and swatted at his face with his massive paw. He couldn't catch the Gnat, and in the process, he only managed to scratch his own face, causing himself quite some pain.
Seeing the Lion hurt himself while trying to catch him, the Gnat flew away, laughing and boasting. "I beat the mighty Lion," he claimed, proud of his supposed victory.
However, not long after, as the Gnat was happily buzzing around, he suddenly found himself trapped in a spider's web. He tried to escape, but his efforts were in vain. He was stuck, unable to free himself.
Soon enough, a spider came along and seeing the Gnat trapped in its web, it had him for its meal. And just like that, the boastful Gnat who had "defeated" the Lion met his end.
