The Gnat and the Lion
Aesop's Fables
One sunny afternoon, a tiny mosquito with a very loud buzz was zipping through the jungle. He felt extra brave that day. He spotted a huge Lion, the king of all the animals, taking a nap under a shady tree.
"Hey there, big Lion!" buzzed the mosquito, feeling bold. "I'm not scared of you one bit! I bet I could even beat you in a fight!"
The Lion slowly opened one eye. He let out a big, rumbling yawn. "You, little buzzer? Beat me? That's the silliest thing I've heard all day!" he chuckled.
"Oh yeah? Just you watch!" declared the mosquito. And with a zzzzzzzip, he flew straight at the Lion. He didn't try to bite the Lion's tough fur. Oh no, he was much cleverer than that! He buzzed right up the Lion's big nose and gave him a little nip!
"Ouch!" roared the Lion, swatting at his nose.
Then the mosquito zoomed around and bit the Lion on the soft skin around his eyes.
"Grrrr! Stop that!" bellowed the Lion. He swiped with his giant paws, trying to catch the tiny pest. But the mosquito was too fast and too small. The Lion only ended up scratching himself with his own sharp claws.
The mosquito buzzed here and there, nipping the Lion in all the tender spots he could find. The Lion roared and thrashed, getting angrier and more tired with every swipe that missed.
Finally, exhausted and covered in his own scratches, the Lion panted, "Alright, alright! You win, you tiny terror! Just please, leave me alone!"
The mosquito puffed out his chest (if a mosquito can do that). "Hooray!" he buzzed triumphantly. "I beat the King of the Jungle! I am the greatest!"
He flew off, buzzing his victory song for all the jungle to hear. He was so busy looking back at the defeated Lion and boasting about his win that he didn't watch where he was going.
And *thwack*! He flew right into a sticky spider's web.
A small spider, who had been quietly mending her web, slowly crawled towards him.
"Oh dear," whispered the mosquito, stuck fast. "I defeated the mighty Lion, the strongest beast in the jungle, only to be caught by a tiny spider." And that, he realized, was a very different kind of battle.
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