A Lion And A Leopard

Once, in old times, a lion and a leopard waged a very long war against each other for both the contested forests, and for glens, and for dens. They had not that temper so that to have legal proceedings under the law; after all, the powers that be are often blind concerning the rights. They have their own custom: who will prevail, that one will be right. However, one cannot fight endlessly, after all, so claws can become blunt: at last our heroes decided to discuss the affair in accordance with the law; they determined to put an end to the military action and to end all contentions, then, as usual, to enter into an everlasting peace until the first quarrel will occur.

“Let’s appoint our secretaries as soon as possible,– the lion was offered by the leopard, – and how their wits will judge, let it be so. I, for example, shall send a cat for this purpose. Although the animal is unsightly and puny, but it has a clear conscience; and you set an ass: because it has a noble rank, and, by the way, it is a rather enviable livestock! Believe me, as to your friend: both your counsil and your court are hardly worth of its single hoof. We shall rely on that how your ass will come to terms with my cat”.

And the lion approved the leopard’s thought without dispute; nevertheless it appointed not the ass, but a fox to try the case, saying to itself (apparently, it knew the world):

“Who is praised by the enemy, that one is truly pointless”.