Once upon¹ a time, there was an old lion. He was very slow, and it was difficult for him to catch any animals. When he did catch one, it always got away. He was too weak to hold onto them.

Then he had an idea! He told all the other animals that he was sick. Then he lay down in a cave² and waited. When the other animals came to visit him, he leaped up and ate them.

One day, an old and wise fox walked past the entrance to the cave. He called out to the lion and asked him how he was. "Bad," answered the hungry lion, "why don't you come in and visit me?"

But the wise fox sensed³ danger. He had noticed that there were many tracks⁴ going into the cave and none at all coming back out. "No, thanks," said the wise fox. "I have lived to be very old because I always see the signs of danger before it is too late."