Leul, de mult\u0103 vreme, ridicase o\u015ftire,
\nS\u0103 se bat\u0103 cu riga ce se numea Pardos;
\nC\u0103ci era \u00eentre d\u00e2n\u015fii o veche prigonire,
\n\u015ei g\u00e2lcevire mare, pentru un mic folos.
\nVrea, adic\u0103, s\u0103 \u015ftie
\nCui mai mult se cuvine
\nS\u0103 \u0163ie pentru sine
\nUn petec de c\u00e2mpie
\n\u015ei un col\u0163 de p\u0103dure, de tot nensemn\u0103tor,
\nCe desp\u0103r\u0163ea \u0163inutul \u015fi staturile lor
\nAcum s\u00e2nge mult curse, \u015fi multe luni trecur\u0103,
\nF\u0103r-a se putea \u015fti
\nCine va birui.
\nElefantul n\u0103sos,
\n\u015ei bivolul pieptos,
\nCu lupul coad\u0103-lung\u0103
\nMulte izb\u00e2nzi f\u0103cur\u0103.
\nFie\u015fcare tulpin\u0103 era plin\u0103 de s\u00e2nge.
\nIci se vedea un taur jum\u0103tate m\u00e2ncat;
\nL\u00e2ng\u0103 el un tovar\u0103\u015f ce zbiar\u0103 \u015fi \u00eel pl\u00e2nge;
\nColo, un porc s\u0103lbatec f\u0103r\u0103 dou\u0103 picioare;
\n\u015ei mai la vale, vulpea se t\u0103v\u0103le\u015fte, moare,
\nOft\u00e2nd dup\u0103 curcanii ce \u00eenc\u0103 i-au sc\u0103pat!
\nIar mai vrednic de jale era viteazul urs,
\nDe dou\u0103 coarne groase \u00een inim\u0103 p\u0103truns.
\nLeul, v\u0103z\u00e2nd c\u0103 lupta nu se mai ispr\u0103ve\u015fte,
\nTrimise la maimu\u0163\u0103, vestit\u0103 vr\u0103jitoare,
\nCe spun c\u0103 \u015ftia multe, \u015fi c\u0103 proorocea
\n\u00cent\u00e2mpl\u0103rile toate, dup\u0103 ce se trecea;
\nTrimise, zic, la d\u00e2nsa s\u0103-i fac\u0103 \u00eentrebare,
\nCum poate s\u0103 ajung\u0103 sf\u00e2r\u015fitul ce dore\u015fte.
\nEa se puse pe g\u00e2nduri, tu\u015fi, apoi r\u0103spunse,
\nRoz\u00e2nd cu mul\u0163umire darurile aduse:
\n\u201eCa s\u0103 poat\u0103-mp\u0103ratu lesne s\u0103 biruiasc\u0103,
\nTrebuie s\u0103 jertfeasc\u0103
\nPe acel ce \u00een oaste e dec\u00e2t to\u0163i mai tare,
\nMai vestit \u00een r\u0103zboaie, mai vrednic \u015fi mai mare.\u201d
\nAuzind astea leul str\u00e2nse a sa o\u015ftire:
\n\u201eLighioanelor! zise, viu s\u0103 v\u0103 dau de \u015ftire
\nC\u0103 ast\u0103zi din noi unul trebuie s\u0103 murim:
\nA\u015fa va proorocul. R\u0103m\u00e2ne-acum s\u0103 \u015ftim
\nCine este mai tare.
\nC\u00e2t pentru mine unul, cum vre\u0163i\u2026 dar mi se pare
\nC\u0103 nu prea s\u00e2nt puternic, c\u0103ci p\u0103timesc de tuse.\u201d
\nVulpea era aproape: \u201eCe-are a face! r\u0103spunse,
\n\u00cen\u0103l\u0163imea ta e\u015fti
\nOric\u00e2t de slab pofte\u015fti.\u201d
\n\u2013 \u201eDar \u015fi puterea noastr\u0103
\nE \u00eendestul de proast\u0103\u201d,
\nStrigar\u0103 tigrii, ur\u015fii, \u015fi cu un cuv\u00e2nt toate
\nLighioanele-acelea ce erau mai col\u0163ate.
\n\u201eNu r\u0103m\u00e2ne-ndoial\u0103\u201d, le r\u0103spunse-mp\u0103ratul.
\nIepurele, s\u0103rmanu \u2013 crez c\u0103-l tr\u0103gea p\u0103catul,
\nSau p\u0103cate mai multe
\nDe mo\u015fii lui f\u0103cute \u2013
\nVeni s\u0103-\u015fi dea p\u0103rerea. Dar to\u0163i, c\u00e2t \u00eel z\u0103rir\u0103,
\nAsupr\u0103-i n\u0103v\u0103lir\u0103.
\n\u201eIa vede\u0163i-l! strigar\u0103. Cu bun\u0103-ncredin\u0163are
\nEl este cel mai tare!
\nS-ascundea urecheatul, \u015fi nu-i pl\u0103cea s\u0103 moar\u0103
\nCa s\u0103 ne fac\u0103 nou\u0103 biruin\u0163a u\u015foar\u0103!
\nPe el, copii! Lua\u0163i-l: el are s\u0103-mplineasc\u0103
\nCe ne-a zis proorocul din porunca cereasc\u0103!\u201d
\nC\u00e2inii atunci s\u0103rir\u0103
\n\u015ei-n grab \u0163i-l jupuir\u0103.
\nSe afl\u0103 vreo \u0163ar\u0103, unde l-a\u015fa-nt\u00e2mplare
\nS\u0103 se jertfeasc\u0103 leul? Nici una, mi se pare.
\nNu \u015ftiu cum se urmeaz\u0103, nu pricep cum se poate,
\nDar v\u0103z c\u0103 cei puternici oriunde au dreptate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Leul, de mult\u0103 vreme, ridicase o\u015ftire, S\u0103 se bat\u0103 cu riga ce se numea Pardos; C\u0103ci era \u00eentre d\u00e2n\u015fii o veche prigonire, \u015ei g\u00e2lcevire mare, pentru un mic folos. Vrea, … <\/p>\n