Let us now read a thought-provoking story that demonstrates the concept of unity in strength. The idiom ‘union is strength’ denotes that if we stick together, we are more stronger and powerful than when we are alone. This story on unity is strength illustrates this idiomatic expression. The lion and the four bulls story on unity is strength has provided a lot of insights to people over the ages.
A Story on Unity is Strength
Once upon a time, four bulls lived in a beautiful dense forest. They were very close friends and were young, strong, and always active. They grazed in the fields that were lush with grass and were happy and contended. The bulls used to eat together, sleep together, sit together, and roam together. Knowing that they would group to defend each other, no other animal in the forest dared to fight with them or was brave enough to challenge them.
In the same forest, there lived a young male lion, who was powerful and ferocious. He attacked mostly weak animals to have a meal. Whenever the lion saw these meaty and fat bulls, his mouth watered with hunger. Every time the lion tried to attack the four bulls, he was never successful. Ultimately, the lion understood that the four bulls had great unity among them, and it would not be easy to hunt them.
However, every day, the lion could not help but watch the four bulls from a distance. He wanted to eat them all, but since he was afraid that they would hurt him with their sharp horns and hoofs if he confronted them, he never dared to strike them. If he attacked even one of them, they would join together and help each other to drive him off.
The lion was willing to wait for the right time to attack the bulls. Knowing this, he could hardly resist looking at a good meal, even though he knew there was little chance of getting it. He was no match for the combined brute force and power of the four bulls.
As the days passed by, the big cat grew restless and wanted to have a taste of the bulls. His hope of eating them started slowly to fade away. He knew that though he was very strong, he cannot fight all of them alone. He can take on a single bull, but not the four of them together. The King of the Forest decided to consult the fox, who was the most cunning animal in the jungle.
He called the fox for a meeting in his den. “How can I separate the four longhorns?” he inquired of the fox. The fox listened to the lion’s predicament. He said, “Your Highness! I think I might have an idea.” The lion excitedly replied, “Tell me, what is it?” The fox said, “I can help you in hunting the four bulls. But when you hunt the bulls, please give me a piece of meat of my own choice from each one of them.” The lion told the fox, “I agree with your condition.” “However, tell me what is your plan of action?”, he asked nervously.
The fox pondered for some time and replied, “My King, I will spread a rumor among the bulls that one of them eats the bad grass while the others enjoy the good ones.” The King of the Beasts replied, “Will that be enough to divide them?” The fox said, “O Great One, I think we can also say to each of the bulls that his friends are weak and cowards and they are never fair. Whenever any animal tries to assault one of them, the others do not fight back with all their energy.”
The lion was happy with this plan. He asked the fox to execute the plan immediately. However, the fox asked the lion to wait for a few days.
After some days, the fox approached one of the bulls, who was grazing alone, busily in a corner. He said to him, “O handsome, graceful, and mighty one. The other bulls eat the fresh grass and leave the bad ones to you, as they are jealous of you. They also eat more grass than you, and you hardly get your share. This is not good on their part. They also say disgusting things about you from time to time. From now on, you should leave your friends and go separately eating fresh grass only.”
When the bull heard what the fox said, he became very angry at his friends and started accusing them of selfishness. The fox was overjoyed to see the bull in a fit of rage. The bull decided to graze a few hundred meters to the north of the great fields.
The next day, the fox met the second bull and repeated the same lies he had told the first bull. The foolish bull instantly started to believe him and began hating his friends. He remarked, “I always thought they were my best buddies.” He continued, “It is very miserable and unfortunate to know that they are speaking unpleasant things about me behind my back. I will not come here from tomorrow. I really despise them.” The bull was dejected and went on to graze a few hundred meters to the west of the great fields.
The fox told the third bull the same gossip he said to the other two bulls. The bull became very curious and asked the fox. “They will not say anything like this. They are my best buddies.” The fox said, “Do you know they say you are such a blabberer, and you talk a whole lot of nonsense.” The bull was taken by surprise and disbelief. The fox convinced the bull that he should go away from his group. The bull went on to graze a few hundred meters to the east of the great fields.
Knowing that the other bulls had left the place, the fox approached the last bull. The naive bull believed whatever the fox said. He went in search of the other bulls and began to quarrel with them. He said that for so many years, he has been forced to eat the bad grass. The other bulls started to argue with him and decided they will never be together. The following day, the fourth bull went far away to eat the grass, a few hundred meters south of the great fields.
So the fox succeeded in poisoning the minds of the bulls by telling untruths, and they split from each other and no longer remained friends. The seeds of disunity were now sown among the bulls, and they became so distrustful of each other, that they never wanted to see one another and lived separately in four different directions of the great fields.
When the fox was sure that his ploy had worked and the bulls were no longer united, he went to the lion and said, “My Lord, the bulls have gone their separate ways, and they are no longer friends. You can hunt each one of them very effortlessly.”
The lion congratulated the fox and was very happy to hear the great news. He had been looking for this moment his entire life. The next day, the thrilled lion went to look for them. He saw them grazing in different parts of the jungle. He licked his chops as he was accustomed to doing.
The big cat pounced on the first bull, who cried out loudly for help, but alas his friends did not turn up. He killed the bull and shared the feast with the fox as a reward. The following day, the lion saw the second bull alone eating grass. He attacked the bull, instantly killing him as the bull was taken by surprise and divided the spoils with the fox.
The lion slaughtered and devoured the remaining two bulls one by one, relishing the magnificent feast with the fox.
The story on unity is strength shows that if the bulls were united, the lion would have never harmed them. The lion was no match for the combined strength of the bulls. Their foe, the lion, with the help of the fox, broke their unity and easily hunted and gobbled them one by one.
Moral of the Story on Unity is Strength
First Lesson of the Story on Unity is Strength
The moral of the story on unity is strength is holding fast to your friends and distrusting your foes. The story on unity is strength teaches us that when people agree with one another, they do not allow their enemies to defeat them. However, if they fail to cooperate, their enemies will easily destroy them.
Second Lesson of the Story on Unity is Strength
The story on unity is strength instructs us that we should be beware of cunning people who bring division among us through lies and flattery. The story on unity is strength illustrates that we should cling tightly to our league against our common adversary.
Third Lesson of the Story on Unity is Strength
The moral of the story on unity is strength, is that friendships and coalitions are very important for people’s happiness and well-being. More often, they are destroyed by whisperers and talebearers who devise wicked schemes, dark plots, and ugly contrivances. The story on unity is strength educates us that we should not fall prey to such wiles and shake the very pillar on which our relationships are built. The story on unity is strength shows that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand and when people are united they are invincible, and they flourish and prosper.
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