寓言故事一则

The Lion and His Kingdom
An Ancient Tale Retold

King Lion of the Forest was laid up in bed with the coronavirus. Fearing that he might depart this life soon, Lion sent for his subjects from far and wide so as to give a farewell speech and entrust the young heir to his ministers. Not to show up their loving monarch, who swayed his territory with justice and dignity, and never took the lion’s share as his likes did when dividing the spoils, the animals, Ape, Bear, Cock, and Dog with her three newborn whelps, just to name a few, came in alphabetical order to wish His Majesty a speedy recovery. Then our perfidious Reynard the Fox took the stage. As he lingered at the yawning entrance of the palace, the eyes sly and tail wagging, Lion called out, “why don’t you come over by my side, my friend? Why don’t you come to hold your old king’s feeble paw, and warm his faint heart as he is standing to take leave of this worldly land?” In a certain mood of feigned seriousness, Fox countered thus, “I’ve noticed there have been an assortment of footprints on the ground, all in the direction of the palace, but none out of it. It’s safe to say that no sooner had these poor animals ventured in than they were put into quarantine. You guys must be looking the worse for wear already, I suppose? As for me, I should be bored to death during this long fortnight’s sojourn here even if you didn’t eat me.” Whereupon Fox, cocking up his long tail, took his farewell of Lion’s palace.

2 个赞