The Lion and the Clever Rabbit – English Story for Learners
The Lion and the Clever Rabbit is a famous English story for learners. It tells how a clever rabbit used wisdom to outsmart a cruel lion.
Long ago, in a deep forest, there lived a strong lion. He was very proud and cruel. Every day, he killed many animals for food. All the animals were afraid of him.
One day, the animals gathered together and made a plan. They said to the lion,
“O King of the forest, please do not kill many of us every day. We will send you one animal daily for your meal.”
The lion agreed. From that day, one animal went to the lion every day.
One day, it was the turn of a clever little rabbit. He walked slowly and reached the lion very late. The lion was very angry.
“Why are you late?” he roared.
The rabbit bowed and said,
“My King, another lion stopped me on the way. He said that he is the real king of this forest. He even lives in a palace inside a big well.”
The lion became furious. He followed the rabbit to the well. When he looked inside, he saw his own reflection in the water. He thought it was another lion.
The proud lion jumped into the well to fight his enemy — but he drowned and never came back.
The clever rabbit saved all the animals in the forest.
📚 Vocabulary List
- Cruel – very unkind or causing pain
Example: The cruel man shouted at the dog. - Proud – thinking too highly of oneself
Example: The proud king never listened to anyone. - Furious – very angry
Example: She was furious when she lost her bag. - Reflection – an image in a mirror or water
Example: I saw my reflection in the lake. - Clever – quick to think of smart solutions
Example: The clever boy solved the puzzle easily.
❓ Comprehension Questions
- Why were the animals afraid of the lion?
- What deal did the animals make with the lion?
- Why was the lion angry at the rabbit?
- What did the lion see in the well?
- How did the rabbit save the animals?
💡 Moral of the Story
❇️Wisdom and intelligence are stronger than strength.
🔗 Related Stories