The Reward Of Cruelty

In the animal kingdom, there is a lot of freedom and liberty. All the animals are allowed to move as wide and far as they could to look for food and care for their young ones. However, they are also required to take care of their safety from their prey. Some animals are usually very friendly to others and yet some are very wicked and harmful, and oftentimes act as prey on the weak ones and use them as their food. Those that prey on others are mostly the flesh-eaters like lions and tigers. They would use any opportunity they have to gobble up the weak ones.

One day, a lion was on a walk in the forest. He had not been lucky for the past few days to get good food. He was so weakened by hunger that he moved melancholically around the forest seriously wanting to eat some good food. Unfortunately for him, he got to a deep pit and could only proceed by leaping across. Weakly and slowly he took off, could not make it right across, but fell into the deep pit. He struggled to get himself out to no avail, he was stuck. More and more hungry he became and started screaming in a loud voice, “Help, help.” A monkey was a distance away, leaping from tree to tree looking for food too. Passing by, he heard someone crying for help. The monkey drew closer and discovered there was a lion in trouble.

The lion, sweet-talking, pleaded with the monkey to help him and he would reward him. The monkey, tricked by the lion's pleasant language, decided to help the lion out. He held the trunk of a tree that was nearby and then let down his tail into the pit. He asked the lion to hold it really firm while he pulled him out of the pit.

Monkey then pulled him out from that deep pit with his long tail. They both smiled at the success and the monkey thought the lion would from thence become his good friend who would never think of preying on him again. On the contrary, the Lion said to the monkey’s surprise, “Though you've helped me, you think you'll go free? I was so hungry looking for food, you caused me to fall into this deep pit.” The monkey was so embarrassed and an argument broke out between them. They argued and argued as the lion had already grabbed him with his pews ready to tear.

Tortoise appears, he was on a walk too. He shouted at the two to stop and tell him what their problem was all about. Panting, the monkey explained in detail and the lion confirmed. After hearing them out, the tortoise said, "Lies! men! I can't believe this small monkey removed you from this pit." They confirmed. Tortoise said, "If it's true, then, do it again, let me see." The lion, without thinking twice, jumped in, expecting the monkey would repeat the act. The monkey, to prove himself, was foolishly going to do it again.

Tortoise held him back and rebuked the Lion, "You fool, you only know how to eat others and cannot help yourself. Why would you want to repay such a good deed done to you with evil? Evil begets only those who are evil and do evil. My friend monkey here, would not do it again, and you'll die in there because you have proven your wickedness. Maybe you would call your family to come to help you out. Monkey my friend, let's go, you are now safe.”

"Sorry! Sorry!" Lion begged again in vain. It was too late. If you call good evil, evil shall never leave your house. Lion learned a bitter lesson that day.