The Lion and the Gnat
Away with you, mean insect! said a Lion angrily to a Gnat that was buzzing around his head. But the Gnat was not in the least disturbed.
“Do you think,” he said meanly to the Lion, “that I am afraid of you because they call you king?”
The next instant he flew at the Lion and stung him sharply on the nose.
Mad with anger, the Lion struck fiercely at the Gnat but only succeeded in tearing himself with his claws.
Again and again, the Gnat stung the Lion, who now was roaring terribly.
At last, tired out of anger and covered with wounds that his teeth and claws had made, the Lion gave up the fight.
The Gnat buzzed away to tell the whole world about his win, but instead, he flew straight into a spider’s web.
And there, he who had defeated the King of beasts came to a sad end, the prey of a little spider.
Moral of the story
Beware of small troubles: Sometimes, the little problems can cause the biggest headaches.
Stay humble: Don’t let success make you overconfident; always be cautious.
Questions for the children
- Why do you think the Gnat was not scared of the Lion?
- How can being too proud of something lead to problems?
Post Note: This story is based on Aesop’s fable, written around 600 BC. In this retelling, we’ve used simpler words to make the story easier for young readers to understand.
