The following story of the lion with smelly breath is found in folklore around the world. Some sources say it is one of Aesop’s fables, while others suggest the story’s origin of Panchatantra comes from India. However, the story is one of the folktales with moral lessons from around the world in many cultures. This story is about being smart when the time comes. Whether you are seeking bedtime stories for kids, moral stories for kids, or just folktales with moral lessons for you, this might be a good choice. Happy storytelling!
Once upon a time, there was a lion king in a large jungle. This jungle was quite different from others. This jungle had its own rules. Even the king, the lion, was not allowed to kill animals as he pleased. There was a protocol for taking someone’s life. No one was allowed to take the lives of others for fun. Only the carnivorous animals were allowed to take their lives for food.
But they were not supposed to take more than they could eat for one meal. They could only take another person’s life to feed themselves, little ones, older ones, and ill ones in their families. This way, the jungle rules had been as fair as possible. All the animals in the jungle obeyed the rules, including the kings.
But this king was different. He always wanted to do whatever he wanted. But the rules forbid him. So he thought of a plan. The lion invited all of the animals in the jungle to his cave. The bear, the fox, the elephant, the zebra, the rabbit, the deer, the monkey—everyone gathered at the lion’s cave. The lion was eating a rotten buffalo.
Seeing the animals, the lion stopped eating and welcomed them all.
“I asked you to come here to ask you a question. If you give me the right answer, I will let you live. If you give me the wrong answer, I will kill you,” the lion said.
The animals didn’t know what to say. The king of the jungle has asked them to answer a question. They stood still.
First, the lion went closer to the bear and opened his mouth. Then he asked what the smell was in his mouth. The bear had no habit of lying. He always says the truth. So he said the truth. He said it smells like rotten flesh.
The lion pretended to be angry and said, “How dare you say my mouth smells like rotten flesh?” Then he killed the bear.
Next, the lion went closer to the monkey. He opened his mouth and asked where the smell was coming from. The monkey was afraid of seeing what happened to the bear, who told the truth. So the monkey praised the lion by saying his mouth smells good like flowers.
“How can my mouth smell like flowers when I just ate rotten flesh?” The lion shouted and killed the monkey.
Then the lion came to the rabbit, opened his mouth, and asked the question.
“Forgive me, my king. I am unable to tell you what the smell of your mouth is now. I have a cold. Therefore, I have no sense of smell right now. Allow me to come back in three days and answer the question, my king,” the rabbit told the lion.
The lion could not find a way to kill the rabbit. Because he didn’t give him an answer, he could turn it in his favor. Following the rabbit, other animals left also said they had a cold. So the lion had to let go of the other animals.
The wise rabbit knew it was not the time to lie or tell the truth. So, he gave a smart answer and saved himself and the rest of the animals. That day, the fox also thanked the rabbit for saving his life.