The culture depicted in both fables views its rulers as figures who must be capable and decisive, able to lead effectively rather than simply hold a title. In "The Lion Fable," the lion's initial timidity and reluctance to act, despite having good ideas, highlight how important it is for leaders to seize opportunities and take responsibility, reinforcing that even those with great potential can fail without courage. Meanwhile, in "The Animal Council," the council's complaints about King Lion reveal a lack of appreciation for his leadership, suggesting that a ruler should be constantly demonstrative of their capability or risk being undermined by their subjects. The council's self-inflicted chaos during the king's absence serves to underline the expectation that effective leadership is not just about criticism but also involves the ability to govern wisely and restore order.
The 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.
3 answers
Both stories illustrate that rulers are expected to be strong, decisive leaders. In "The Lion Fable," the lion's initial fear to act shows that even capable leaders need courage to step forward and take charge. In "The Animal Council," the animals openly criticize King Lion, suggesting they believe a ruler must constantly prove their worth. The chaos that ensues when the council tries to lead in the king's absence emphasizes the idea that effective leadership involves not just criticism, but the ability to manage well and maintain order.