The Lion and the Elephant

A lion made great havoc on the animals under his control. They went up to a wise man in the forest and said, "Sire, the lion will soon empty the forest if he is not at once put down. We therefore beg of you to grant the elephant the power of putting down the lion."

"Yes," said the wise man.

The elephant became a very nimble and powerful beast of prey, and soon drove the lion out of the wood. Requiring, from his huge frame, a great deal more of nourishment than the lion, he began to kill a great many more animals in a day than the former. So the beasts again went up to the sage and said, "Sire, we pray you bid the elephant go back to his former condition, so that we may have the lion again for our king."

Said the sage, "Yes, of two evils choose the less!"