The Lion and the Mouse who Returned a Kindness :: Aesop, Aesops Fables

Aesop among many other prominant authors wrote tales of zoologys taking on human characteristics, but none is so prevelant as the reputation of the mighty king of beasts. Known as the king of animals, the social lion appears as an object of strength and nobility in countless aspects of life including history, literature, art, astronomy, movies, and dance. Who is this amazing cr beature? According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the lion(Panthera Leo) is a flesh-eating animal that live cheifly in sandy plains and rocky places where there are thorn thickets and tall grass. Male lions can reach a continuance of 2.50m (8ft), and a weight of 250kg (550lb). They can live for 15 years, but in captivity some have reached an age of up to 30 years. They mainly eat larger herbivores such as buffalo, zebra, and in cultivated areas an occasionally human. There strength is amazing, and both parents take great care in tending to their young, oft referred to as cubs (168-69).Much is to be said a bout the mannerisms and personalities of lions, and no one hassummed this up as well as Aesop. There are four fables listed in our textbook dealing with the qualities humans believe to be true about lions. These assumptions may have begun with Aesops fables, but really knows. In the first fable, The Lioness and the Vixen, the flip personality of the lioness is shown.When denounced for the birth of only one cub, the lioness quickly snaps back aat the vixen, Onlyone, she said, but a lion(Aesop 607). This answers the question of quality over quanity and formost the lion is considered the best in quality the cream of the crop as some would say. Aesopiterprets here that the lion knows he is the best, and doesnt mind sharing it with the rest of theanimal kingdom.Aesop again illustrates the lion as being king in The Lion, The Wolf, , and The Fox. Aesop clearly writes all the animals came to pay respect to their king, (Aesop 607). Even in the title of the fable Aesop lists the lion first b efore the wolf and fox. This could just be by mishap, or as seen in other fables the animals could be listed in order of appearance in the text. Regardless of the title Aesop gives the lion dominating powers of the other animals. He writes the lion demanded to know at once what cure he had found,(Aesop 608).