The culture presented in both stories appears to view its rulers as figures who, while perhaps flawed, hold an essential leadership role that should not be underestimated. In "The Lion Fable," the lion's initial shyness shows that good ideas can come from those who may hesitate to take action—or even feel inferior to those who act without thought. This hints at a belief that leadership requires confidence, and that sometimes, the best leaders are those who are willing to step up despite their fears. In "The Animal Council," the animals' complaints about King Lion reveal that questioning authority is a common sentiment, but when given the opportunity to lead, they fail and desperately seek his return. This emphasizes a view that effective leadership is crucial for the well-being of the group, as the absence of the king results in chaos. Together, these stories highlight a culture that values leadership and questions it, recognizing the importance of capable rulers while acknowledging their human flaws.
he Lion Fable
This story follows a lion who is shy and afraid to act for fear of looking foolish. While the lion watches quietly, several other animals step up to lead without hesitation—and make things progressively worse. Each time, the lion quietly tells his mouse friend how he would have done things, and each idea sounds like it would have been a much better and more logical solution. Finally, the mouse points out that the most foolish animals in the kingdom have stepped up to lead without hesitation and suggests that the biggest fool of them all is the lion, who has the best ideas but is too timid to lead. The lion takes the mouse’s words to heart and steps up to rule.
The Animal Council
This story is about a group of animals who serve on King Lion’s council. They gather frequently when their king is not around to complain about his rules and way of doing things. They echo one another’s concerns, and all agree that the king is their greatest problem. Hearing of their doubt, the king decides to teach the animals a lesson. He disappears for two weeks. During this time, the animal council is given the chance to lead. They make several messes, and by the end of the two weeks, the mouse alerts the king that his council is desperate to find and return him to his throne. When he returns, he tells the animals not to question his leadership if they cannot do better themselves.
Question
Use the folk tale descriptions to answer the question.
Both stories focus on characters who rule over others. In 3–5 sentences, explain how this culture views its rulers and explain what evidence you found in each story to support your answer.
(4 points)
Short Answer Rubric (4 points)
Points Awarded Criteria
4
The answer is very clear.
The answer is fully supported by details.
There may be a few errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics. Errors do not interfere with meaning.
3
The answer is mostly clear.
The answer is supported by mostly relevant details.
There are a few errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics. Errors do not interfere with meaning.
2
The answer is somewhat clear.
Details are weak or not related.
There are some errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Errors interfere with meaning.
1
The answer is not clear.
There are few or no supporting details.
There are many errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Errors interfere with meaning.
0 The question is not answered.
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