The Hares and the Lions

All the animals came to the great meeting under the fig tree. The bears sat at the back. The deer stood by the stream. At the very front lay the lions, licking their paws.

Up jumped the hares, one after another, onto a flat stone. They were small, but they had a lot to say. "All should be equal!" cried the first hare. "All should be equal!" cried the second. "Big or small! Fur or feather! Hoof or paw! All should be equal!" cried the third, and his long ears shook.

They spoke for a long time. When they had finished, the meeting went very quiet. Everyone turned to look at the lions.

The oldest lion got slowly to his feet. He stretched. He yawned, and every tooth in his head shone in the sun. He put out one great paw, and his claws slid out across the stone.

"Your words are good, hares," he said. "But they have no claws and no teeth like ours."