The Donkey in the Lion's Skin

A donkey terrifies a whole countryside in a lion's skin until vanity makes him bray.

The story begins: A donkey once found the skin of a lion that hunters had left to dry in the sun. He put it on and went about the fields frightening all the animals.

The Story

A donkey grazing at the edge of a forest came upon a lion's skin that some hunters had left spread out in the sun to dry.

A foolish idea came into his head. He crept into the skin, pulled it over himself so that only his hooves showed, and set off across the fields to see what would happen.

The effect was everything he had hoped. The sheep scattered before him, the cattle broke from their grazing and ran, and even the shepherds dropped their sticks and fled towards the village.

The donkey was delighted with himself. All his life he had been beaten and driven and laughed at, and now the whole countryside ran from him. He walked about the fields all morning enjoying his new power.

At last, in the pride of his heart, he wished to add to the terror he was causing. He opened his mouth and let out what he believed would be a mighty roar.

What came out was the long, harsh bray of a donkey.

A fox who had been running with the rest stopped at once and turned round. "Ah," he said, "I might have been frightened too, if I had not heard your voice."

The villagers, hearing the same sound, came back with their sticks. They pulled the lion's skin from the donkey's back and beat him soundly for the fright he had given them.

So the donkey, who had been safe enough as a donkey, learned that a borrowed appearance can deceive only until the borrower opens his mouth.

Moral: Fine clothes do not hide a foolish nature.