Lioness and the Bear

Once in a dense forest a fierce Lioness lived. She was very big. Her roar was so loud that the animals in the forest got frightened. One day the Lioness gave birth to two small cubs. "Don't be afraid, I am the most fierce animal in this forest," the Lioness said to the cubs. "Nobody will dare to harm you," the Lioness would tell them.

One day when the Lioness returned from her hunting, she found her cave empty. "I must ask the other animals of they have seen my cubs," the Lioness decided. "I am sure one of them will help me to find out the cubs." The Lioness roared, but the other animals being afraid were hiding. She became worried. She did not get any information about her cubs. Then suddenly she saw a Mother Bear coming towards her with her cubs. "Do not run away !" cried the Lioness. "I have lost my cubs, " she added. "If I don't find them soon, my heart will break. Have pity on me! Please help me."

The Mother Bear replied sadly, "You eat away the cubs of bear without showing any pity on their mother. Nor you fell sorry for the deer which you hunted this week."

Then the Mother Bear took pity on the Lioness and said, "I saw your cubs far away at the other side of the river." The Lioness thanked the Mother Bear for her kindness. She ran towards the other side of the river side in search of the cubs. It did not take much time for her to trace her cubs. For few days she kept in mind the advice of the Mother Bear but she and her cubs went hungry. She had to go out for their prey.

The Mother Bear admitted that since the Lioness can't live without food she shall not be blamed for hunting.

Moral: Habit is second nature.

(Once Upon A Time Vol. 1, Dhingra, Delhi-India)