A Tale of Two Lions

Two lions grew up in the same pride. They were brothers and their father ruled the pride. Throughout their cubhood, the elders in the pride debated which one of the two would become the next ruler. One brother was strong and had a deafening roar; the other brother was quiet and had never developed the ability to roar.

Just before his death, the ruler summoned both lions and informed them that they needed to settle between themselves who would assume leadership over the pride. And whoever didn’t inherit the throne would be kicked out of the pride to avoid competition.

The more aggressive brother spoke up and argued that he should be the next ruler because he was better fit for the position. There was authority in his roar that couldn’t go to waste by ruling over lowly creatures far less powerful than the lion – the king of the jungle! After all, his brother couldn’t possibly manage a pride of strong, self-sufficient females and thick-maned, egotistical males. Surprisingly, his brother made no argument and said he’d be content either way. So the aggressive brother was confirmed as the future king.

Soon after the king’s death, the brothers parted ways. The new king assumed his position as head of the pride, and his brother left to go dwell with the other animals.

Many years later, the quiet brother was surprised when his brother came to see him by the waterhole one day. He looked defeated, and after exchanging pleasantries, he went on to explain how things hadn’t worked out for him. Dethroned and abandoned by his pride, the former ruler marveled at how happy and content his brother looked.

“How did you do it? How did things work to out you?” the disgraced ruler asked.

The soft-spoken brother looked at his brother and said, “I learned from the ant that I have the ability to carry a load larger than myself. From the birds, I learned to welcome each day with a song. By observing the grizzly bear fishing during the salmon run, I learned how important it is to position myself in the right place to succeed. The tortoise taught me to move slowly and steadily, and to always have a safe place to retreat to when things get tough. From the giraffe I learned to graze at my level and not stoop low just to be like everybody else. From the bee I learned that stinging another may inflict temporary pain, but it will prove to be more detrimental to me in the long run. From the fly I learned that one man’s waste is desirous to another. But most importantly, I learned that there is something to learn from everyone, even from those who seem lowly and less powerful than I.”