We are familiar with many things in life seeming to be one simple thing with a visible meaning, but as we grow up, at a certain point in life there end up being several more meanings to those phrases, stories, events and so on, we had previously known.
One such example is the sentence ” He fought like a lion ” that we were taught in grammar, in the early years of school.
Seems very simple, exaggerating the comparison of the intended character, a human being,to that of a lion,to represent bravery. As an Eagle to represent freedom, Bull for strength, Cheetah for speed, Fox for wit and so on and forth. Yet if one had paid closer attention later in life, the devil in the details shows another face of itself.
When the TV programs have replaced evening cartoons,the animal documentaries are a bit interesting. The lions that appear in it appear true to their description, just more real than a cartoon character with an intimidating roar.
Yet the example of bravery starts seeming doubtful here, if one decides to be observant. The Lion, gifted, for which the predators of same class like the tigers, cheetahs, leopards, wolves, dogs , etc etc would hardly get an upper hand on it, given a fair fight, if they ever come to a clash, since they cannot get a hold of it’s neck due to it’s thick mane.
A young lion is bound to someday lead his pride himself reaching adulthood, though not every lion.
In competition, the oldest is easily bested first and thrown out of the tribe to meet his end and the competition reaches the other young bloods where only the alpha may survive, and the rest may leave or bite the dust. Seems like a ritualistic victory for the ‘ one ‘ but it only spirals down.
After his victory, the alpha goes marking his territory and further putting down all other cubs , young ones of the other lions he already bested. Then goes on to have his own with the widowed lionesses, and then lay on the pride rock in sloth. In his slumber during the afternoon, he expects the lionesses to hunt food for the noblety that he is, which they do, but they are hardly permitted to try unless he tasted it first. Whatever he may leave after he is done, be it rotting or leftover bones, the lionesses have to make do with whatever they can scrape, if not enough. Even if it didn’t suffice the hunger of the lionesses themselves, the alpha expects them to raise the milk-relying infants. Such is nature’s instict of survival among lions, both destructive as well as constructive.
Coming back to our topic, our alpha was mostly brave in his prime during the competition for rite of succession against his own and the waning ones,only to establish a social tree around himself in the end. Is the rest bravery or merely a reward for it ? Perhaps, the forefathers of grammar intended to convey more than the obvious simplicity, or the world around had a darker layer for the careful curious observers.
At last, what do we draw inspiration from to run a tribe ? A Lion ? A Monkey ? A Wolf ?…. Or go wherever the wind goes…
Robin K
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