An old Lion had grown too weak to hunt. His teeth were worn, his claws had lost their sharpness, and catching prey was no longer easy.
So he came up with a clever—but dishonest—plan.
The Lion spread the word that he was terribly ill and lay down inside his cave, pretending to be too sick to leave.
One by one, the animals came to visit him and offer their sympathy.
But every visitor who entered the cave was never seen again, for the Lion quietly made a meal of each one.
At last, a Fox came to visit.
Unlike the others, the Fox stopped at a safe distance outside the cave.
“How are you feeling today?” he called politely.
“I am very sick,” the Lion replied in a weak voice. “Please come inside and keep me company for a while.”
The Fox smiled but stayed where he was.
“I would gladly come in,” he said, “but I couldn’t help noticing something.”
“What’s that?” asked the Lion.
“I see many footprints leading into your cave,” said the Fox, “but not a single set of footprints leading back out.”
The Lion had no reply, and the wise Fox walked safely away.
Moral: Wise people pay attention to the evidence before trusting appearances.
The Old Lion and the Fox: An Aesop Fable for Kids About Wisdom and Caution – Free printable
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