Lion Mane Tales and Assorted Poems by Masterful Poets
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Scroll down for Lion Mane Tales and other fun reading materials for kids.
This page features an original, contemporary retelling of three of Aesop's Fables in the form of rhyming verse:
The Lion and the Mouse is a story about how ability is not necessarily determined by size.
The Sick Lion is a moral story about a lion who tricks its prey to approach by feigning illness. But the fox proves too clever for the lion.
The Lion in Love is a heartbreaking tale of unrequited romance.
Lion Mane Tales
The Lion and the Mouse by Aesop and Judee Shipman
A lion snoozed under a Baobab tree
when a mouse ran upon him and tickled his mane.
The lion awakened, as mad as could be
and roared an angry refrain.
“How Dare you disturb me!” the jungle king said,
as he scooped up the mouse in his giant paw,
and prepared at once to squash it dead,
and know that mouse no more.
“Spare me, Great Lion!” the mouse implored,
“Forgive me my trespass across your fur!
If just this once you will let me go,
I'll find some way to repay you, Sir!”
“Alright!” Said the lion, “You're making me laugh!
For that alone, you may go on living,
But what could you do on my behalf?
Your life is merely a gift I'm giving.“
Next day, the lion went down for his nap.
Along came a hunter with rifle and net.
He captured the beast in a deadly trap
For the sake of a sportsman's bet.
The lion roared a song of death,
prepared to meet his grisly end,
when, far and away across the field,
a mouse heard the call of a friend.
The mouse raced forth on swift little feet
and quickly reached the Baobab tree
and gnawed at the net with his knife-sharp teeth
and set the lion free.
Moral: Ability is not determined by size.
lion mane lion mane
The Sick Lion by Aesop and Judee Shipman
A lion was too lazy to capture food by force
So he resolved to capture food by trickery, of course.
Pretending to be dying, he retreated to his den
And encouraged all the Creatures of the Kingdom to come in.
The beasts expressed their sympathy, and entered one by one.
The lion ate them up before they had a chance to run.
Finally, a fox appeared, and stood outside the den,
and inquired of the lion, “How are you, my friend?”
“I am dyin!” said the lion. “Place my bones under the rocks!
But first, will not you please come in?”
“No, thank you,” said the fox.
“I notice there are many foot prints leading where you roam,
And yet I see NO sign of ANY safely heading home.”
Moral:
It is wise to be warned by the misfortunes of others.
lion mane lion mane
The Lion in Love by Aesop and Judee Shipman
A Lion loved a woodcutter's daughter,
and demanded her hand in marriage.
The father, afraid to refuse the request,
leaped inside his carriage.
“I accept your proposal,” the woodcutter said,
from between two wagon slats,
but you must remove your teeth and your claws,
as my daughter's afraid of cats.
When the lion returned, declawed and defanged,
the woodman, no longer fearful,
Hunted him down with the axe in his hand
And gave that lion an earful!
Moral: Don't sacrifice too much for the sake of love.
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Related Links
Go here for more original Aesop's Rhymes.
Hit this link for a Classic Short Story from the public domain:
Told in the Drooling Ward, by Jack London
Go here for selected Moral Stories.
See this page for more Aesop's Fables, other short stories, printable poems, and more.
Visit these links for two original contemporary short stories by Judee Shipman:
More Printable Poetry
SHORT SWEET LOVE POEMS This little poetry collection is short, funny and maybe even a little bit naughty, but sweet nevertheless.
VALENTINE POEMS This page features a collection of short verses that alternate between charming, funny and downright absurd.
FRIENDSHIP POEMS Hit this link for poems about friendship that actually don't suck.
FUNNY POEMS
Who doesn't enjoy a touch of humor here and there? And while you're at it, why not make it rhyme?
SPANISH POEM (with translation) This page contains a rhymed verse composed in Spanish, with an English translation.
AQUARIUS POETRY
Poems from the Western Zodiac.
ARIES POETRY
Poems from the Western Zodiac.
GEMINI POETRY
Poems of the Western Zodiac.
LIBRA POETRY
More Zodiac poetry.
PISCES POETRY
Poems pertaining to the Pisces personality.
VIRGO POETRY
A short, well-chosen selection of Virgo verse.
POETRY FROM EVERY STATE
Read poems about the state you live in. This collection really capture the mood of geographically themed poetry.
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MASTERPIECE ALERT!
Look Here Right Now To See A Long Lost Portrait Of Emily Dickinson!