The Wolf, the Fox, and the Lion Dividing the Spoils

 

Once upon a time, in a great forest, a lion, a wolf, and a fox decided to go hunting together. 

The three animals knew that hunting alone was difficult, so they thought that by working 

together, they would have a better chance of catching food. They each set out to find something 

to eat, searching the forest for animals to catch.

The fox was the first to return. He was small and clever, and he had managed to catch a plump 

goose. The goose had been waddling near a pond when the fox leaped out and grabbed it. He 

was very proud of his catch, as the goose had soft feathers and juicy meat.

The wolf returned next. He was stronger than the fox and had caught a fat ram. The ram had 

been grazing in a grassy field, not noticing the wolf sneaking up behind it. With a quick pounce, 

the wolf caught the ram, dragging it back to their meeting spot. The wolf was pleased because 

he loved eating lamb meat, which was soft and delicious.

Finally, the lion arrived. The lion was the strongest of them all, but luck had not been on his 

side that day. He had managed to catch only a thin, scrawny cow. The cow had been wandering 

near the edge of the forest, and the lion had chased it down. Though he had hoped for a bigger 

and fatter animal, he was still satisfied that he had caught something.

Now that all three animals had brought back their catch, it was time to divide the food. The 

lion, being the king of the jungle, decided to let the wolf handle this task. He turned to the wolf 

and said, "Wolf, divide the food so that we can all eat."

The wolf thought for a moment and then said, "Each of us should take what we caught. The 

lion will eat the cow, I will eat the ram, and the fox will eat the goose. That way, it is fair 

because we each get our own food."

Hearing this, the lion’s eyes narrowed. He did not like the way the wolf had divided the food. 

He thought to himself, "I am the king of the jungle! I should have the best food, not just the 

scrawny cow!"

The lion roared angrily and, before the wolf could react, he lifted his powerful paw and struck 

the wolf’s head. His sharp claws tore the wolf’s fur and skin, leaving the poor wolf wounded. 

The wolf whimpered in pain and quickly ran away, realizing that he had made a terrible mistake 

in how he divided the food.

Now, the lion turned to the fox. He gave him a fierce look and said, "Fox, you divide the food. 

Let’s see if you can do better than the wolf."

The fox was very clever and had learned an important lesson by watching what happened to 

the wolf. He did not want to make the lion angry, so he thought carefully before speaking.

The fox bowed low before the lion and said in a humble voice, "My great lord, you are the 

strongest and most powerful among us. You deserve the best food. You should eat as much of 

the fat ram as you like because its meat is tender and delicious. Then, you may also eat as much 

of the goose as you like, for it is small but tasty. As for the cow, its meat is tough, so you should 

eat it in moderation. Whatever is left, we, your humble servants, will eat."

The lion was very pleased with this answer. He nodded approvingly and said, "Well done, fox! 

You have divided the food wisely. Tell me, who taught you to be so clever?"

The fox smiled slightly and replied, "My lord, I have learned from my associate’s red cap." He 

pointed at the wolf’s wounded head, which was now red from the injury. "His painful lesson 

has taught me well."

The lion let out a loud laugh. He was impressed by the fox’s cleverness and decided to reward 

him. "Because you are so wise, you may have a small piece of the ram and a little bit of the 

goose as well."

The fox happily accepted his small share, knowing that it was far better than being punished 

like the wolf. He enjoyed his meal while the lion feasted on most of the food.

From that day on, the fox always remembered the lesson he had learned. He knew that in the 

presence of the powerful, it was always wise to be careful with words and to think before 

speaking.

The wolf, on the other hand, had learned a painful lesson. He had thought fairness meant 

everyone getting exactly what they caught, but he failed to consider the lion’s power and pride. 

He never made the same mistake again.