While wandering through the forest one day
A lion chanced upon
What he hoped would be his dinner--
A young, injured fawn.

A bear approached who also had
The same idea in mind.
He was starving, for it had been
Some time since he had dined.

Both of them battled fiercely,
Clawing, scratching, biting.
Ultimately, the two became
Exhausted from the fighting.

They lay on the ground severely wounded
And trying to catch their breath,
Realizing how much effort
It took to fight to the death.

A fox had been observing the scene
From not too far away.
Jumping for joy, he said to himself,
"This is my lucky day!"

Too weak to move, the lion and bear
Watched in disbelief
While the fox ran off with fawn
In his mouth. The little thief!

The weary fighters agreed that they
Had been extremely unwise:
All that time they had spent fighting
And the fox ran off with the prize!

Moral? Some work very hard
And never receive acclaim,
While others receive the credit and profit.
What a rotten shame!

-by Bob B (8-26-21)

°An Aesop fable retold here in verse