The Lion and the Cow   There was a forest where a lion ruled. He was known as Sinharaj. The forest was surrounded for some distance with grassland of a beautiful green colour. Animals from a nearby village sometimes came here to graze. Recently, however they rarely came because they often heard the lion roaring of whom they were afraid.   Some distance away there was a cowherd who lived on a small hut with a cowshed attached to it. A beautiful white cow lived in this shed. It used to go to eat the grass from the meadow near the forest and since the lion never came out of the forest it was not scared.   Now this cow had a small little calf with big, big eyes that frolicked about around its mother who took good care of it. She always taught him to be a good child and never to lie. One day Mother Cow said to the calf, “I am going to graze. I shan’t be away long, but you must not go out of this shed till I come back.” So the calf stayed back and the cow went to the meadow.   As luck would have it the lion came out that day and settled down to take a little nap under a nice shady tree. Lo, what was that white figure moving around? Rising up he went towards it and found it was a cow. With a roar he went close to it in leaps and bounds. “What are you doing here? It’s a good thing you came now I can have a good meal.”   The Cow gave a bow and said, “My Lord, please forgive me. I have a small child and since I cannot go far from it I come here to graze.”   The lion gave another roar and said, “Never mind. I am going to eat you up.” The cow said, “My lord you are the king of the forest, there are many more animals for you to eat. If you eat me what will happen to my child? Let me go please.”   The Lion said, “No, no I won’t.” The cow pleaded him but he would not release her. So at last she said, “Very well my Lord do as you please, but before you eat me up let me go and say good bye to my calf.” The lion gave a laugh and said, “Oh yes so that you can escape and run away.” The cow said, “I am very truthful and on my honour I promise I will surely return after bidding my calf good bye.”   The lion thought for a moment then said, “Very well you may go, but come back at once. If you do not do so I will come there and not only gobble you up but also your calf.”   “My Lord do not worry, I am an honourable person and will certainly return.” So saying Madam Cow took her leave and returned home. There she told her son what had happened and after petting him and giving him some good advice she told him “Above all always be truthful, never lie in your life, speak the truth always.” Then she petted him and kissed his tears away. “Now you are big, you must look after yourself,” saying this she said goodbye and went back.   The lion seeing her truly coming back was amazed. “So you have really come back knowing that I will you up!!! How so?”   “My Lord” said the cow, “I had given you my word that I would, so now you may eat me up. I am a truthful person – having told my calf everything I took his leave and here I am.”   “Oh noble lady” said the lion “go back to your son and live happily ever after. Never did I believe you would really come back, and I was about to go to your home and feast on mother and son. Now I will not do so, and you are always welcome to graze on this grass as much as you want.”   Then the lion went back to his forest, and the cow went home to his son who was bitterly weeping. Seeing his mother come back he ran to her and started frisking. “Oh mother, how did you come back?”   “My dear one,” she said, “because I kept my word and did not lie to him, he was very pleased and sent me back.” After all those who speak the truth are blessed people always.   Back to Kidz Korner