Week 2 Story

There once was a village that lived right on the edge of the jungle. Because of their proximity, animals would wonder in and out of the village. However, the animals did not bring danger to the townspeople. They lived in harmony. One day, a lion, king of the jungle, was walking through the town. He was trying to decide what to get his sister for her birthday. She was always a big fan of the townspeople's jewelry. He was bouncing from stall to stall at the market. That is when he saw her. The most beautiful maiden he had ever seen. She was tall with light brown hair and hazel eyes that reflected the sun in the perfect way. He was completely awestruck. Across the market, they locked eyes. She had a gentle way about her that made him for once feel like he was not a beast or something to be feared. She held his gaze, until she was ripped away by her mother. 

    "Don't even think about it, he could tear you to bits in one second" said her mother.

    "I don't think he would mother." she responded.

But alas, she was dragged out of the market place. For the rest of the day that is all he could think about. She saw him as a kind heart. She was not afraid and that is not something that happens often. He had to see her again. 

The next day, he went into town. However, he had no intentions of running into her. Finally, after an hour of roaming the market he saw her parents. His heart started to race. Was he really going to follow through with it? "There is no way this is going to work" he thought. 

    "Excuse me, I was wondering if I might have a word with you" he said to her parents.

They agreed and with all of their instincts telling them to run, they followed. As they walked, the lion explained the feeling that he gets when he is around their daughter. He tells them how kind her heart is and how genuine her soul must be to see him as something other than a beast. 

    "May I marry your daughter? She will be well taken care of and would forever be protected." he exclaimed earlier in the conversation than he meant to,

Her parents exchanged a worried glance. 

    "How can we know you won't hurt her? You have claws longer than my forearm and your teeth could behead me in five seconds" said her father.

    "If you can prove to us that you care about her safety, we will consider it" her mother responded.

    "How must I do that?" said the lion eager to prove his intentions.

    "Take out your teeth and trim your nails. There is no chance with weapons like that we are going to entrust you with our daughter" said her mother.

With that, the lion went off to be groomed. He believed in this love more than he needed his teeth or claws. This was going to be a love that rattled the stars. He knew she would love him with or without his teeth. He was ready to show his determination.

Meanwhile, her parents were discussing back in their cottage.

    "You are seriously considering letting my baby girl go live in the jungle?" the father yelled.

    "No, I would never allow her to be put in that much danger. But to say no to the king of the jungle is a death sentence that I do not wish upon either of us" she snapped back at him.

    "What will we do when he comes back?" the father said with a nervous shake in his voice.

    "He will no longer have the means to kill us. He will have taken all of the danger out of himself for the sake of our daughter" the mother explained maliciously. 

That afternoon, he returned. He was very excited to leave town with a new bride. When he arrived they met him at the door. He smiled to show off his new dentures and he raised his paw to show the clean pedicure he had received. He had done everything they asked. He was prepared to take care of her the rest of her life. 

    "I have returned. I have done everything you have asked of me. Now, will you consider my marriage proposal?" he said nervously. 

  Both of her parents looked at each other before busting out into a fit of laughter. 

    "Did you really believe that we would allow our only daughter to be taken into the jungle where we would never see her again?" said the mother with a nasty grin.

    "Did you believe you had a chance?" said the father in between fits of laughter.

The lion was hurt and sad. He turned to walk away with nothing but a broken heart to show for his troubles. But, as he was turning he heard a scream. The daughter ran down the stairs past her parents. She embraced him in a hug and with tears in her eyes said "You really did all of this to be with me?". 

    "Of course, I would do anything for you. You are the only one who treats me as another soul" the lion responded.

    "I don't care what my parents say, I want to go. I deserve to be with someone who is willing to be there for me. They do not know what they are talking about. They are old and grumpy. I want to be free and to experience life. I want to do all of that, with you" she exclaimed!

 So, with tears in their eyes, they rode away from her parents home to start a life of love and adventure.

This is an image of two lions in love. Two spirits who have found themselves in each other. True love conquers all. True love can tame the wildest beast. Source: Flickr, taken by Francios de Halleux

Story Source: The Fables of Aesop by Joseph Jacobs (1894).

Author's Notes

Love can tame the wildest is the theme throughout this fable. A lion fell in love with a beautiful maiden. However, this was at the age where her parents needed to give her away. They both were not comfortable giving their daughter away to a lion. However, they feared that to say no would cause the king of beasts to be enraged. They said that they would consider it if he were to change. They told the lion he was a danger to their daughter in the form he was in. They suggested that he trim his nails and pull out his long teeth. Then they would consider it. The lion was so awestruck and in love with the maiden that he did it. He had his teeth pulled and his claws trimmed. When he came back to present himself as a suitor, they laughed in his face.