Aesop's tales #
19 - The Lion in Love
A Lion once fell in love with a beautiful
maiden and proposed marriage to her parents. The old people did not know what
to say. They did not like to give their daughter to the Lion, yet they did not
wish to enrage the King of Beasts. At last the father said: "We feel
highly honored by your Majesty's proposal, but you see our daughter is a tender
young thing, and we fear that in the vehemence of your affection you might
possibly do her some injury. Might I venture to suggest that your Majesty
should have your claws removed, and your teeth extracted, and then we would
gladly consider your proposal again."
The Lion was so much in love that he had his
claws trimmed and his big teeth taken out. But when he came again to the
parents of the young girl they simply laughed in his face, and bade him do his
worst.
Moral: Love
can tame the wildest. Misfortune awaits those who love unwisely.
