Hello my name is Amita and welcome back to the series of Panchatantra short stories.
So Panchatantra stories are the oldest surviving fables from ancient India.
These are spread all over the world for centuries especially as bedtime stories for kids.
So I am starting this Panchatantra series of 60 stories.
Hope you like it.
The Talking Cave.
Once there was a lion in a deep forest.
The lion had enjoyed his kingship throughout his life.
Wherever he went the animals were scared of his strength and towering stature.
Time passed.
Slowly and slowly he grew old and weak.
His strength did not remain the same.
At times he could not even catch a single prey in the whole day.
One day the old hungry lion was passing through the jungle.
While walking he came across a cave.
Suddenly the lion was struck with an idea to catch his prey easily.
The lion entered into the empty cave and sat there hiding inside.
The lion thought when the owner of the cave returns in the evening I will pounce upon him and kill him.
The cave belonged to a fox.
When the fox returned in the evening he noticed footprints of the lion.
All the prints were in the direction of the cave but none of them suggested the exit of the lion from the cave.
The clever fox sensed the danger.
He did not enter into the cave and remained outside.
The fox thought for a while and spoke out loud.
Hello cave why are you not speaking to me today?
You welcome me warmly every day when I come back to you.
What is the matter today?
The cave remained silent and no response.
The fox said again if you remain quiet like this I shall go to some other cave.
The lion who was witnessing this one-way conversation thought it seems this is a talking cave.
Today it's not speaking because it is frightened of me.
I must speak on behalf of the cave else I will lose a good dinner.
The lion spoke loudly.
Welcome my dear fox please do not leave me.
I very much like your company.
Hearing this the fox ran away and thus evaded the danger of the king lions because of his presence of mind.
