‘Ah, come in
oh gentle fox,’
said the Lion,
pretending to be sick
and lying visible
and coughing
inside its sunny cave


‘How nice of you,’
continued the lion
‘to come and see me.
You have probably heard
I’ve been quite sick
and what gentle words of healing
you must have come to offer me…
Indeed, oh most kind fox
it’s very nice of you…
But why stand in the sun?
Come in and sit down
with me in my cave
and we shall speak of
most spiritual matters
like Heaven and the afterlife…’


2
‘Ah, but thank you Mr Lion,’
said the fox
keeping a distance.
‘I did indeed hear it said
you were sick and came to visit you
and now that I’ve seen you
and now that you feel my goodwill
I shall go…’


‘But why not come in
just for a while?’
asked the Lion,
with a regal grin


‘Because,’ said the quick fox,
‘I smell a rat and other creatures too.
I see many footprints towards
your cave
but none tracing their steps out…
And it’ll be just the while perhaps
that you’ll need
to ensure what comes in the cave
never goes out.’


And away
the nimble fox ran
to live many years more
and to tell a tale
that has passed on from
the ruthless animal kingdom
to our most blessed humankind