Aesop | Greece
The Lion, Jupiter, and The Elephant
A Lion complains to Jupiter about being afraid of a rooster, and learns from an Elephant that even the mightiest creatures have their fears.
Once upon a time, the Lion complained to Jupiter, the god of all gods, that he should not have to live with the fear of a rooster. The Lion expressed his disappointment in being the king of the beasts and yet living in fear of a much smaller animal.
Jupiter replied to the Lion, "You have the heart of a lion, which makes you the bravest of all the animals. You should be grateful for the courage I have given you and not worry about a little bird."
Still, the Lion was not convinced and went off into the jungle, feeling despondent. As he was wandering, he came across an Elephant. The Lion struck up a conversation with the Elephant and noticed that he kept flapping his ears.
The Lion asked, "Why are you flapping your ears so much?"
The Elephant replied, "I am afraid of a tiny gnat getting inside my ears. If it gets in there, it could kill me, so I must keep flapping my ears to keep them away."
The Lion realized that even the largest and mightiest of creatures could be afraid of something much smaller and that his fear of a rooster was nothing to be ashamed of.
And so, the Lion went back to ruling over his kingdom, no longer feeling ashamed of his fear.
