The Bull, The Lioness, and The Wild-Boar Hunter

Once upon a time, in a really big grassy field, a Bull, who was as clumsy as he was big, took a walk. The Bull was so into his walking that he didn't see where he was going and stepped on a young Lion cub. Oops!

The cub's mom, the Lioness, was really, really mad and sad. She roared so loudly that you'd think she was trying to be the loudest singer in the world's weirdest concert. Her roars were heard by a Wild-Boar Hunter who was close by, probably wondering why he couldn't find any wild boars that day.

Lioness yelled at the Bull like a mom finding crayon drawings on the wall. "You big, clumsy thing! You hurt my baby!" she screamed.

Just as the Lioness was getting ready to give the Bull a time-out he'd never forget, the Wild-Boar Hunter walked up. He looked at the Lioness and said, "Hey, wait a minute. I've seen you hunt little animals before. If you can do it, isn't it fair that sometimes sad stuff will happen to you too? It's like when you take cookies, sometimes cookies get taken from you."

The Lioness thought about it for a second. Her eyes went big and round like two full moons. She knew the Hunter had a point. She had also been a part of the give-and-take of nature, like a big, wild game of tag where sometimes you're 'it,' and sometimes you're the one running away.

And so, the Lioness didn't give the Bull a scary roar this time. Instead, she gave him a look that said, "Fine, be more careful next time, you big goof."

As for the Bull, he promised himself to watch his step more carefully, especially if he ever wanted to walk through the Lioness's "living room" again.

Everyone learned something that day, and they all went back to their daily lives, a little bit wiser, still part of the crazy, mixed-up family that is the animal kingdom.

In a savannah wide and grand,
A Bull and Cub walked o'er the land.
Oh dear, oh my, the Bull did stray,
And sadly Cub got in his way.

Mama Lion found her young,
Her heart so heavy, like a song unsung.
She roared so loud, across the plain,
Her grief a deep, unending rain.

A Hunter heard her from his spot,
He'd seen her hunt, forgot he'd not.
"You're sad," he said, "I understand.
But listen close, so you can stand."

"You mourn your cub, and that's alright,
But you've hunted younglings in the night.
The balance of the wild, you see,
Gives and takes from you and me."

Mama Lion paused and knew,
The Hunter's words were strong and true.
In nature's dance of give and take,
She too had choices left to make.

So Mama Lion walked away,
Understanding more that fateful day.
That life's a circle, ever round,
And what we do, comes back around.