Hi all,
Today, I improve on another set of Aesop’s… morals.
'The Ageing Lion and the Fox' – an old lion lost his physical advantages and turned to trickery instead to capture his prey. He pretended to be ill, retired to a cave, and asked other animals to visit him.
A fox was invited in but figured out the trick before entering the cave. The fox rejected the invitation, announcing – more footprints point into the cave than point out…
Moral: The wise note indicators of danger.
This moral isn’t too far off the mark, quite frankly, but I think it could do better. Do we really need to invoke the lessons of CSI and conduct a thorough forensic analysis to figure this situation out? A lion is a lion is a lion, no matter how old, and the ‘indicator of danger’ is in the mane, the teeth, and the claws – not in the footprint patterns surrounding his sickbed.
TYC: Don’t forget the base rate.
'The Lion, The Fox, and The Stag' – a dying lion, still king of the jungle, calls on the fox to help him get dinner. The fox agrees to help and tricks the stag into visiting the lion by telling the stag that the lion wishes to appoint him successor to the throne after his death.
When the stag arrives, the lion pounces. The stag escapes with a cut ear. The fox finds the stag again and explains that the lion was merely trying to grab the stag in order to give him advice. The stag returns and this time the lion devours him. The fox watches on and, when the stag’s heart falls from the lion’s mouth, the fox jumps in and eats it whole.
Eventually, the lion realizes the heart is missing. He asks the fox where it is. The fox says – stop looking, for the stag had no heart. How could you have heart if you walk twice into the lion’s den?
Moral: Love of honor closes the eyes to imminent danger.
This was by far the longest fable in the book. I don’t think the length was necessary – the story could easily have made the same point if the lion had ate the stag on the first round.
As for the moral – I don’t think the story makes a very clear point about honor. I think the fox was a liar and the stag was a sucker. The fox is basically the main character here, anyway, and I think the moral would make more sense if it commented on the fox’s actions.
TYC: Those who lie for you will someday lie to you.
