The Lion and the Rabbit

There lived a rabbit in the middle of the dense forest of Satpura Range somewhere in Uttarakhand. He had burrowed one tiny long burrow under the lush green canopy of Deodar tree. His cute bunny head protruding out from that cutely located burrow is sure the fantasy shot of any photographer. His daily affair was to make to and fro visit from his tunnel. He would peer out from his burrow, and on slight sudden noise would vanish again into his burrow. He carefully would venture out from the burrow when he need to graze to feed his little belly. He would be hoping on the green grass field, cutting the grass blades with his little teeths, and in between would stop to wipe his mouth with his hands. But in he jungle he was not alone. There were foxes, jackals all kind of animals. The foxes were accustomed to this little bunny visit in the area. But they hardly tried to chase him for hunt, or they had tried many times and were outrun by the rabbit, and now they have got used to the rabbit presence. But besides foxes, there was a loin in the same forest who has grown old quite evident from his sluggish walk. In the same area he would be found dozing all the day. And in night he would venture for hunt, and if lucky might find some gullible animal to prey on. There was this peculiar thing about this lion, he would never roar and his countenances were never frightening. Infact his eyes depict certain kind of pity. The rabbit initially would charge himself to his burrow on seeing the lion, but later he realised that the lion is not making any move. Rather he just has his head drooled on the ground and his eyeballs moving to see the running rabbit. In time the rabbit get used to it, and he no longer would run on seeing him. One fine day, it was lovely weather, cool breeze blowing. The rabbit who was inside the burrow could not resist to come out and enjoy his hopping stroll. As he peered out the burrow, he saw the lion at the other end sitting idly, eyes half closed. The rabbit felt all pity inside him for the old lion, thinking he was dying. He thought might his little hopping around him he would energize the lion and make him feel happy. So with little hopping he steadily went infront of lion. He would graze the grass near him, show his hopping dance going all around the loin. Suddenly lion make some sullen noise as if woken from sleep. The rabbit did not feared, he continued. In a sudden movement lion moved his hand and grabbed the rabbit by his neck piercing the thick claws around the neck. In a jiffy the little life came to a halt.

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