A Lion and A Bear
A lion and bear fought over a goat, exhausting themselves, and a fox took advantage, leaving them with regret.
Audio available for B1 version
Once upon a time, in a large forest, a lion and a bear saw a small goat at the same moment.
Both wanted it, and neither would give up.
With loud roars and growls, they began to fight, both equally strong.
The poor goat lay between them, forgotten during the fight.
For hours they fought, growing more tired and weaker, until they could not fight anymore.
They fell to the ground, breathing heavily, with scratches all over their bodies.
The goat was still safe between them.
At that moment, a clever fox who had been watching saw his chance.
He quickly grabbed the goat and ran away before the lion or the bear could stop him.
Too tired to chase the fox, the lion and the bear watched him disappear into the forest.
They looked at each other and understood their mistake.
Even with all their strength, their fight only helped the smart fox.
Now, all they had were their wounds and the feeling of regret.
Once upon a time, in a thick forest, a mighty lion and a strong bear spotted a tiny kid goat at the same time. They both wanted it, and neither would back down. With fierce roars and thundering growls, they clashed, their strength evenly matched. The poor goat lay between them, forgotten in their struggle.
They fought for hours, their strength weakening, until they were too tired to continue. They collapsed, panting heavily, their bodies covered in scratches, while the kid goat still safe and untouched between them.
Just then, a crafty fox who had been watching the scene from a safe distance saw an opportunity. He darted in, snatched the unguarded kid goat, and raced away before either the lion or bear could react.
The lion and bear, too exhausted to chase the fox, watched him disappear into the forest. They glanced at each other and realized the folly of their fight. Despite all their strength, their rivalry had only benefited the sly fox. All they were left with were their wounds and a shared sense of regret.
Once upon a time, in a forest so thick even your Wi-Fi signal would be scared to go in, a buffed-up lion and a gym-going bear both locked eyes on a snazzy-looking kid goat.
Lion, with his hair all stylishly disheveled, said, “Hey, I saw that little snack first! Mind stepping aside?”
Bear, flexing a bit just because he could, replied, “Saw? More like dreamed of! That kid goat is all mine!”
The goat, meanwhile, was over there trying to take a selfie, completely oblivious. “Good lighting here, don't you think?” it bleated.
With the lion's dramatic roars and the bear's over-the-top growls that would've won them Oscars, they got into a tussle. There was fur flying everywhere, making it look like a pillow fight gone extreme.
After what seemed like hours, probably because it was hours, the two collapsed. They were panting, looking like they'd just run a marathon in heavy costumes. And there, still untouched and now busy counting its new Instagram followers, was the kid goat.
Suddenly, a hipster fox, who'd been watching while sipping on a forest latte, saw a chance. Winking at the audience – because of course he broke the fourth wall – he zipped in, grabbed the kid goat, and sped off, probably to some underground jazz club.
The lion and bear, catching their breaths, watched the fox zoom away. They gave each other that look – you know the one.
Bear sighed, “We really should've just shared a pizza or something.”
Lion nodded, “Yeah, and maybe taken a selfie with that kid goat. Did you see its followers? It's going viral!”
In a forest dense and deep,
A lion and bear did chance to meet.
Both spied a goat, tiny and sweet,
Each wanted the prize, neither would retreat.
Roaring loud and growling might,
They battled hard, left and right.
The little goat, in such a fright,
Lay still and quiet, out of the sight.
On and on, they tussled and spun,
Until their energy was almost done.
With weary limbs and setting sun,
Neither knew who’d truly won.
From the shadows, sly and sleek,
A fox saw the goat and took a peek.
Quick as lightning, with a tactic unique,
He grabbed the prize, his future to tweak.
The lion and bear, too tired to pace,
Watched the fox leave without a trace.
With heavy hearts, they shared a face,
Regretting the battle, a pointless chase.
For in their tiff, so strong and long,
They lost the prize, all had gone wrong.
It's not always the mighty and strong,
Sometimes it’s the clever who come along.
Word Finder
Snazzy
Very stylish and attractive in appearance.Oblivious
Not noticing or aware of what's happening.Bleated
The sound a goat makes when it talks.Tussle
A short, messy fight or struggle.Collapsed
Fell down because of being tired or weak.Panting
Breathing fast and heavily, like after running.Winking
Closing one eye quickly, often to signal something.Zipped
Moved very quickly like a flash.Sped
Went somewhere very fast, like a race.Viral
Something becoming super popular really quickly online.
Dense
Trees close together, hard to walk through.Retreat
To move back or stop fighting anymore.Tussled
Fought or struggled in a messy way.Weary
Feeling very tired after much effort.Sly
Clever in a sneaky and tricky way.Sleek
Smooth, shiny, and nice to look at.Tactic
A clever plan to win or succeed.Unique
Very special or one of a kind.Trace
A sign or mark left behind somewhere.Regretting
Feeling sad about something done wrong.
Reflection Questions
- Why do you think the lion and the bear kept fighting even though they were getting tired?
- What could the lion and the bear have done differently to both benefit from finding the goat?
- Why do you think the fox was able to take the goat so easily?
- What does this story teach us about competition and the importance of cooperation?
- Can you think of a situation in your life where sharing or cooperation might be a better choice than fighting or arguing?
Fable Quotes
Rushing into conflict may lead to regret, not reward.
Working together often wins the prize, while fighting divides the spoils.
Choices made in haste can leave us empty-handed in the end.
Just One More Fable
- Friendship
- Problem-Solving
The Monkey, the Shark, and the Washerman's Donkey
A clever monkey outsmarts a shark trying to trick him into becoming a sacrifice for the shark's sick king.
- Acceptance
- Gratitude
The Peacock and Juno
A beautiful peacock with colorful feathers wanted a beautiful voice as well, but Juno explained that everyone has their own unique gifts.
- Acceptance
- Contentment
The Battle Horse and The Miller
Old warhorse reluctantly works in a mill, longing for past glory, but the wise Miller advises acceptance and adaptation to a new life.
- Deception
- Consequences
The Stag and The Oxen
A hunted stag seeks shelter among oxen in a barn, unnoticed by the barn keeper but exposed by the observant master.