Once upon a time, there was a mighty lion who ruled over a vast jungle. He was a wise and benevolent king, who protected his subjects from danger and ensured justice and harmony in his kingdom. He was respected and loved by all the animals, except for one: a mischievous monkey who lived on a tall tree near the lion’s den.
The monkey was a notorious thief, who would often sneak into the lion’s den and steal his food, jewels, and other valuables. He would then run back to his tree and mock the lion from a safe distance. The lion was aware of the monkey’s antics, but he chose to ignore him, thinking that he was not worth his attention. He believed that the monkey would eventually learn his lesson and mend his ways.
One day, the lion decided to go on a hunting expedition with his loyal friend, a fierce tiger. They left the den early in the morning and headed towards the river, where they hoped to find some prey. The monkey, who had been watching them from his tree, saw this as an opportunity to raid the lion’s den once again. He quickly climbed down from his tree and ran towards the den, hoping to find something valuable to steal.
He entered the den and looked around. He saw a large pile of meat, fruits, and nuts that the lion had stored for his meals. He also saw a shiny crown, a golden necklace, and a ruby ring that the lion had received as gifts from other kings. The monkey’s eyes sparkled with greed. He decided to take everything he could carry and leave nothing behind.
He grabbed the crown, the necklace, and the ring and put them on his head and neck. He then stuffed his mouth and hands with as much food as he could. He was about to leave the den, when he saw something that caught his eye: a beautiful mirror that was hanging on the wall. The monkey had never seen a mirror before, and he was curious to see what it was.
He walked towards the mirror and looked at his reflection. He was amazed by what he saw. He saw a handsome monkey, wearing a royal crown, a golden necklace, and a ruby ring. He saw a monkey who looked like a king. He felt a surge of pride and vanity. He thought to himself, “I am the king of this jungle. I am the greatest and the most powerful of all the animals. I am the lion’s equal, if not his superior. Why should I fear him or obey him? I should challenge him and take his throne.”
He forgot that he was a thief, who had stolen the lion’s belongings. He forgot that he was a monkey, who had no right to wear the lion’s crown. He forgot that he was looking at a mirror, which only showed his appearance, not his reality. He was blinded by his ego and his illusion.
He decided to confront the lion and declare himself as the new king of the jungle. He left the den, carrying the mirror with him. He ran towards the river, where he expected to find the lion and the tiger. He did not notice that he had dropped some of the food and jewels on his way, leaving a trail behind him.
Meanwhile, the lion and the tiger had finished their hunt and were returning to the den. They noticed the trail of food and jewels on the ground and followed it. They soon reached the den and saw that it had been ransacked. They realized that the monkey had stolen their things and had gone to challenge them. They were furious and decided to teach him a lesson.
They followed the trail and reached the river, where they saw the monkey standing on a rock, holding the mirror in his hand. The monkey saw them and shouted, “Behold, the new king of the jungle! I am the monkey, who has defeated the lion and the tiger. I have taken their crown, their necklace, and their ring. I have taken their food, their jewels, and their mirror. I have taken everything that belongs to them. They are nothing but weak and foolish animals, who are not fit to rule. I am the only one who deserves to be the king. Bow down to me, or face my wrath.”
The lion and the tiger were shocked and amused by the monkey’s words. They saw that he was wearing their crown, their necklace, and their ring. They saw that he was holding their mirror, which showed his reflection. They saw that he was deluded and arrogant. They decided to expose his folly and restore their dignity.
The lion said, “O monkey, you are a great king indeed. You have conquered us with your strength and wisdom. You have taken our crown, our necklace, and our ring. You have taken our food, our jewels, and our mirror. You have taken everything that belongs to us. But tell us, O king, what is that you are holding in your hand? What is that shiny thing that shows your face?”
The monkey said, “This is my mirror, O lion. This is the most precious thing I have. This is the thing that shows me who I am. This is the thing that shows me that I am the king of this jungle. This is the thing that shows me that I am the greatest and the most powerful of all the animals. This is the thing that shows me that I am your equal, if not your superior. This is the thing that shows me that I am the monkey, who has defeated the lion and the tiger.”
The lion said, “O monkey, you are a fool indeed. You have deceived yourself with your greed and vanity. You have taken our crown, our necklace, and our ring, but you have not taken our dignity and honor. You have taken our food, our jewels, and our mirror, but you have not taken our courage and loyalty. You have taken everything that belongs to us, but you have not taken our dharma and karma. You have taken nothing that belongs to you. You have taken nothing that shows you who you are. You have taken nothing that shows you that you are the king of this jungle. You have taken nothing that shows you that you are the greatest and the most powerful of all the animals. You have taken nothing that shows you that you are our equal, if not our superior. You have taken nothing that shows you that you are the monkey, who has defeated the lion and the tiger. You have taken nothing but a mirror, O monkey. A mirror that shows you nothing but your appearance, not your reality. A mirror that shows you nothing but your illusion, not your truth. A mirror that shows you nothing but your ego, not your self.”
The monkey was stunned and confused by the lion’s words. He looked at the mirror again and saw his reflection. He saw a foolish monkey, wearing a stolen crown, a stolen necklace, and a stolen ring. He saw a monkey who looked like a clown. He felt a wave of shame and guilt. He realized that he had made a terrible mistake. He realized that he had violated the dharma and karma of the jungle. He realized that he had offended the lion and the tiger, who were his rightful kings. He realized that he had lost his self-respect and dignity.
He said, “O lion, O tiger, please forgive me. I have sinned against you and against the jungle. I have stolen your things and challenged your authority. I have acted out of greed and vanity. I have been deluded and arrogant. I have been a fool and a clown. I have been a thief and a liar. I have been a monkey and nothing more. Please spare my life and take back your things. Please restore the order and harmony of the jungle. Please teach me the dharma and karma of the jungle. Please show me the way to be a better monkey.”
The lion and the tiger looked at the monkey and saw that he was sincere and repentant. They saw that he had learned his lesson and mended his ways. They decided to forgive him and accept him as their subject. They said, “O monkey, we forgive you. You have sinned against us and against the jungle, but you have also confessed and apologized. You have stolen our things and challenged our authority, but you have also returned and surrendered. You have acted out of greed and vanity, but you have also realized and regretted. You have been deluded and arrogant, but you have also awakened and humbled. You have been a fool and a clown, but you have also become a wise and a humble. You have been a thief and a liar, but you have also become a honest and a loyal. You have been a monkey and nothing more, but you have also become a monkey and something more. You have become a monkey who follows the dharma and karma of the jungle. You have become a monkey who respects and loves the lion and the tiger. You have become a monkey who deserves to be a part of the jungle.”
The monkey was overjoyed and grateful by the lion and the tiger’s words. He thanked them and bowed down to them. He took off the crown, the necklace, and the ring and gave them back to the lion. He gave back the food, the jewels, and the mirror as well. He vowed to never steal or lie again. He vowed to never steal or lie again. He promised to be a faithful and obedient subject of the lion and the tiger. He asked them to be his friends and guides.
The lion and the tiger smiled and nodded. They welcomed the monkey as their friend and subject. They invited him to join them for a feast at the den. They told him that they would teach him the dharma and karma of the jungle. They told him that they would show him the way to be a better monkey.
The monkey agreed and followed them to the den. He felt happy and peaceful. He felt that he had found his true place in the jungle. He felt that he had found his true self.
They reached the den and enjoyed a hearty meal. They shared stories and jokes. They laughed and sang. They celebrated their friendship and harmony.
The other animals of the jungle heard the news and rejoiced. They praised the lion and the tiger for their generosity and wisdom. They praised the monkey for his repentance and transformation. They praised the dharma and karma of the jungle for their justice and mercy. They praised the mirror for its revelation and lesson.
They all lived happily ever after in the jungle, following the dharma and karma of the jungle.
The End.
RSS - Posts
