The Lion and The Eagle
Eagle proposed alliance to lion for mutual benefit, but lion wanted assurance of trust as eagle's escape to sky raised doubts.
Once upon a time, high in the sky, an eagle was soaring through the clouds. Down below, she spotted a lion, the king of the animals. The eagle thought for a moment and decided to land beside the lion, offering him a proposal.
"Lion," she called out, "I propose we form an alliance, for our shared benefit. We can protect each other from threats and share in each other's prosperity."
The lion tilted his head, considering the eagle's words. He found no flaw in the idea, yet a concern surfaced in his mind.
"I see no problem with your offer," the lion said, "but I have one condition. You must assure me that you won't simply fly away when things get difficult. How can I trust that you will stay true to our pact when you have the sky as your escape?"
The eagle stood silent, understanding the lion's concern. The alliance, although sounding promising, was left uncertain because trust, the most essential part of any alliance, needed to be established first.
Audio available for B1 version
Once upon a time, an eagle was flying high in the sky.
She looked down and saw a lion, the king of the animals.
The eagle thought for a moment and flew down to the lion.
She had an idea.
"Lion," she said, "let’s work together.
We can protect each other and share our success."
The lion listened carefully and thought about her offer.
It seemed like a good idea, but he had a worry.
"Your offer is good," the lion replied, "but I have one condition.
How can I trust you won’t fly away when things get hard?
You can escape to the sky anytime."
The eagle was quiet, understanding the lion’s concern.
The idea of working together was good, but without trust, it would be difficult to move forward.
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Reflection Questions
- Why do you think the Eagle wanted to form an alliance with the Lion?
- What was the Lion's main concern about forming an alliance with the Eagle?
- Can you think of a time when you needed to trust someone else?
- What does this story teach us about trust and alliances?
- Can you think of a way the Eagle could prove its loyalty to the Lion, based on what we learned from this story?
Fable Quotes
Trust is the wind beneath the wings of an alliance.
True alliances are built on trust, and trust requires responsibility to honor commitments unconditionally.
Wisdom is knowing that true alliances are built on trust, not just promises that can fly away.
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