The Lion Makers
Three clever scholars travelled with one friend who had no learning but plenty of sense.
In the forest they found the old bones of a lion lying in the grass.
"Let us show our learning," they said. One joined the bones, one added flesh, one prepared to give it life.
"Wait," said their plain friend. "It is a lion. Please let me climb this tree first."
They laughed at him, but he climbed anyway, right to the very top.
When the lion opened its eyes, only the friend in the tree went home to tell the tale.
Cleverness without common sense can be dangerous.
Common SenseDid you know?
This story is so famous in India that scholars still quote it as a warning about knowledge without wisdom.
Try this at home
Before doing something clever, ask: is this actually a good idea?
Questions to talk about
Ask these after reading. The answer is underneath each one.
What did the scholars find?
Answer: A lion's bones
What did the plain friend do?
Answer: Climbed a tree
What is the moral?
Answer: Cleverness needs common sense
Bring this story to life
In the Superkids app your child reads this story with pictures, hears it read aloud, answers the questions as a game, and earns stars for every story finished.
Start freeNo card needed.
