A long-time ago in the Animal Kingdom, a sheep was passing by when she saw a lion trapped inside a cage and crying. When the lion saw the sheep he begged her to save him with a vow and promise to never kill and eat sheep again, but the sheep refused, being suspicious that lions could not be trusted.
After much persuasion and further vows and promises, the sheep had pity on the lion and agreed to save him, but having stayed in the cage for days without food, the lion was very hungry and could not resist the temptation to kill and eat the sheep to satisfy his hunger.
Despite all his vows and promises, the lion quickly grabbed the sheep with the aim to kill and eat her. The sheep struggled desperately with the stronger lion and cried out loudly as she reminded him of his vows and empty promises, and a violent commotion ensured.
As the two continued to struggle, other animals who were passing by—elephants, rhinos, antelopes, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, hyenas, rabbits, ostriches, goats, cows, etc., noticed the commotion, and started crowding cautiously, seeking to find out what was the problem. Both the lion and the sheep narrated their version of the story but fearing reprisals from lions, the other animals sought to gain favor instead, in the sight of the lion.
All the other animals took sides and supported the lion’s version of the story, except the Tortoise who claimed not to understand the whole story.
So, the Tortoise asked the lion to repeat the story and show them where he was before the sheep rescued him, and the lion pointed at the cage.
The Tortoise asked again, "were you inside or outside the cage when the sheep arrived?" The lion replied he was inside the cage.
The Tortoise then said, "ok, can you enter the cage so that we can all see how difficult it was to get out?".
As soon as the lion entered the cage, the Tortoise shut the door and locked him from outside.
Amazed, the other animals asked Tortoise why he did that, and he replied, "if we had allowed the lion to eat the sheep today, he would still go hungry tomorrow and one of us would become his next meal. We don't know who would be eaten next, so I decided to lock the cage to allow the humans (who had trapped him in the cage) to come and retrieve him. I think they’ll know what to do with him.”
Moral of the Story
If you ever found yourself in a precarious situation (or a trap), consider the help and opinion of a friend, because under duress, your brain is not operating at its optimum level. We don’t live in islands, so listen to what your friends tell you. They might be in a better position to find a way out.
It also shows that when facing a common adversary, alliances are important, and you shouldn’t reject a person simply because they are your worst enemy’s friend.
Trust no one, until you’ve tried and tested them. A tiger cannot change it’s stripes.
Here’s some Life Wisdom: