HOW THE LION
by Oliver Herford
The Lion Who Wanted to Be King
Once upon a time, there was a big Lion. He did not like Man.
The Lion did not like Man. Man was in charge. The Lion wanted to be king. He made a plan. He wanted to stop Man.
The Lion called all animals. Big and small animals came. They felt a little scared. They stood before the Lion.
The Lion spoke to them. "Man causes all our trouble," he said. "Man is not good. We must stop Man now."
"I am strong," said the Lion. "The Hawk sees far. The Horse runs fast. The Hound smells well. Man cannot do these things."
"But Man is clever," the Lion said. "He uses his mind. We are strong alone. We do not work together. This is Man's power."
"We must work as a team," he said. "We will be very strong. Then we can be kings."
The Hawk agreed. The Hound agreed. The Bee agreed. The Horse agreed. They would help the Lion.
The animals made the Lion king. It was for a short time. The Lion must talk to Man. He must make Man listen.
The clever Lion had an idea. He sent four animals. The Hawk, Hound, Bee, Horse went. They went to see Man.
They went to Man's big house. They looked for Man inside. Man was not there. Then Man closed the door. The animals were stuck.
Man kept the animals. They could not leave. They must now work for him. They had to obey Man.
The Hound watched Man's house. The Hawk helped Man hunt. The Horse carried things. The Horse pulled a plow. The Bee made sweet honey.
The Lion stayed at home. He was still the king. He was very happy. He forgot his friends. He forgot his promise.
The Lion was not a good friend. He tricked his friends. His friends worked for Man. The Lion was happy. His friends were not happy.
Original Story
HOW THE LION
BECAME KING
Once in the hazy days of Yore
(I cannot very well be more
Explicit, since it was before
Dates were invented).
Once on a time, as I began
To say, the Lion formed a plan
To undermine the rule of Man,
Which he resented.
In answer to the Lion’s call,
His fellow-creatures, great and small,
From earth and air came one and all
In Trepidation.
He then delivered a discourse,
And proved with eloquence and force
Man was their one and only source
Of Tribulation.
“What is he—taken at his best?
A mere pretence! Not even dressed,
If we his puny form divest
Of spoil he’s looted.
The fact that we can far excel
His boasted Strength and Speed, as well
As Hearing, Sight, and Taste and Smell,
Is undisputed.
“I am not boasting when I own
for Strength I’d back my claws alone
Against his battle-axe of stone;
While, as to Vision,
’Tis nothing more than idle talk
To mention Man beside the Hawk—
The swift Horse, too, his clumsy walk
Views with derision.
“Only Man’s Ignorance, I’m bound
To say, could possibly confound
The Scent and Hearing of the Hound
With his dull powers;
As well his Taste, that gluts on fare
Like half-burnt Antelope and Bear,
With the fastidious Bee compare,
That sips the flowers.
“And yet,” the Lion said, “though we
Outshine Man to the last degree
Collectively, none holds as he
The Combination.”
In short, the moral of his theme
Was this: If Beasts would reign supreme
Their only practicable scheme
Was Federation.
And so, in view of Public Need,
The Hawk, Hound, Bee, and Horse agreed
To pool their Sight, Scent, Taste, and Speed;
And in due season
They made, *pro tem.*, the Lion King,
Intrusting him with everything
Upon condition he would bring
Proud Man to reason.
The crafty Lion then proposed
To send an Embassy composed
Of those same four. As none opposed,
They started straightway,
And, coming to Man’s portals wide,
They entered, but no trace espied
Of Man, until (from the outside)
He closed the gateway.
And there he kept them till they swore
To be his servants evermore,
And work his will, and bow before
His rod of iron:
The Dog to watch, the Hawk to kill,
The Horse to carry and to till,
The Bee with sweets his jars to fill.
All save the Lion—
The Lion stayed at home—and purred,
And kept thenceforth the crown conferred
*Pro tem.*, and nothing more was heard
About Conditions.
So ends my tale. Perchance it brings
Some light to bear on certain things—
Such as the Origin of Kings,
And Politicians.
---
Moral of the Story
Even when united for a common cause, the powerful can exploit the vulnerable for their own gain.
Characters
The Lion ★ protagonist
A large, powerful African lion, with a muscular build and imposing presence. His coat is a rich golden-brown, indicative of his strength and regal bearing.
Attire: None, as he is an animal. His natural fur and mane are his defining features.
Wants: To become king and rule over all other animals, freeing them from the perceived tyranny of Man, though his true motivation is personal power.
Flaw: His ambition and desire for absolute power make him untrustworthy and willing to betray others for his own gain.
Starts as a revolutionary leader advocating for animal freedom and ends as a tyrannical king who betrayed his allies to secure his own power, learning that power corrupts.
Cunning, eloquent, ambitious, manipulative, and self-serving. He is a master orator and strategist.
Man ⚔ antagonist
A human male of average height and build, not physically imposing compared to animals. His form is described as 'puny' without his 'spoil he's looted,' implying a reliance on tools and intellect rather than raw strength.
Attire: Wears clothing made from 'spoil he's looted,' implying animal hides or furs, possibly simple, practical garments suitable for a hunter or early human. No specific details are given, but it would be functional and protective.
Wants: To maintain his dominion over the animal kingdom and utilize them for his own purposes.
Flaw: His physical inferiority compared to many animals in terms of raw strength, speed, and senses.
Remains consistent throughout the story, maintaining his position of power and proving his cunning by trapping the animal embassy.
Cunning, dominant, resourceful, and possessive. He is a master of strategy and control, able to outwit the animals.
The Hawk ◆ supporting
A majestic bird of prey, with sharp talons and a powerful, aerodynamic body. Its feathers are likely shades of brown, grey, and white, allowing for camouflage in the sky.
Attire: None, as it is an animal. Its natural plumage is its defining feature.
Wants: To contribute its superior vision to the animal federation to overthrow Man, and later to survive by serving Man.
Flaw: Vulnerable to Man's traps and unable to escape once captured.
Starts as a free creature, part of an embassy for animal liberation, and ends enslaved to Man, forced to 'kill' at his command.
Observant, swift, and initially hopeful for freedom, but ultimately submissive to Man's will.
The Hound ◆ supporting
A robust and agile dog, likely a hunting breed, with a strong sense of smell and hearing. Its coat could be short or medium length, perhaps mottled or solid brown/black.
Attire: None, as it is an animal. Its natural fur is its defining feature.
Wants: To contribute its superior scent and hearing to the animal federation, and later to survive by serving Man.
Flaw: Vulnerable to Man's traps and unable to escape once captured.
Starts as a free creature, part of an embassy for animal liberation, and ends enslaved to Man, forced 'to watch' at his command.
Loyal (once enslaved), keen-sensed, and initially hopeful for freedom, but ultimately submissive to Man's will.
The Bee ◆ supporting
A small, fuzzy insect with black and yellow stripes, delicate wings, and six legs. Its body is compact and designed for flight and nectar collection.
Attire: None, as it is an animal. Its natural striped body is its defining feature.
Wants: To contribute its fastidious taste to the animal federation, and later to survive by serving Man by filling his jars with sweets.
Flaw: Its small size makes it vulnerable to Man's traps and control.
Starts as a free creature, part of an embassy for animal liberation, and ends enslaved to Man, forced 'to fill his jars with sweets'.
Fastidious, industrious, and initially hopeful for freedom, but ultimately submissive to Man's will.
The Horse ◆ supporting
A powerful and swift equine, with a muscular build and graceful lines. Its coat could be any natural horse color, such as bay, chestnut, or black.
Attire: None, as it is an animal. Its natural coat, mane, and tail are its defining features.
Wants: To contribute its superior speed to the animal federation, and later to survive by serving Man by carrying and tilling.
Flaw: Vulnerable to Man's traps and unable to escape once captured.
Starts as a free creature, part of an embassy for animal liberation, and ends enslaved to Man, forced 'to carry and to till'.
Swift, graceful, and initially hopeful for freedom, but ultimately submissive to Man's will.
Locations
The Wild Gathering Place
A vast, open clearing in a primeval landscape, surrounded by dense, ancient forests. The ground is likely earthy and uneven, perhaps with some exposed roots or rocks. The air would be still and expectant, under a wide, open sky.
Mood: Tense, expectant, solemn, with an underlying current of fear and hope.
The Lion calls all his fellow creatures, great and small, to a meeting where he delivers a discourse on the tyranny of Man and proposes a federation.
Man's Dwelling - Exterior
The imposing, wide portals of a human dwelling, likely a fortified structure or a large, rustic homestead, suggesting strength and perhaps a sense of foreboding. The materials would be sturdy, perhaps rough-hewn timber or stone, reflecting a basic but effective human construction.
Mood: Foreboding, imposing, a sense of entering a trap.
The embassy of animals (Hawk, Hound, Bee, Horse) arrives at Man's dwelling and enters, only for Man to close the gateway behind them.
Man's Dwelling - Interior/Captivity
The interior of Man's dwelling, which becomes a place of confinement. It would be a stark, unadorned space, perhaps with a dirt floor or simple stone, and sturdy walls that offer no escape. The atmosphere is one of entrapment and subjugation.
Mood: Confining, oppressive, hopeless, a sense of being trapped.
The animals are held captive by Man until they swear allegiance and agree to serve him.
Story DNA
Moral
Even when united for a common cause, the powerful can exploit the vulnerable for their own gain.
Plot Summary
Resenting Man's rule, the Lion convenes all animals, arguing for their collective superiority over Man's individual weaknesses. He proposes a 'Federation' where animals pool their best traits, leading to him being crowned temporary king. The Lion then sends an embassy of four specialized animals (Hawk, Hound, Bee, Horse) to confront Man. Man cunningly traps the embassy, forcing them into eternal servitude, while the Lion, who stayed behind, permanently secures his 'temporary' crown, revealing his true manipulative nature.
Themes
Emotional Arc
hope to disillusionment
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Oliver Herford was an American humorist and illustrator, known for his light verse and fables, often with a satirical edge, popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Plot Beats (13)
- The Lion, resenting Man's rule, decides to form a plan to undermine him.
- He summons all animals, who gather in trepidation.
- The Lion delivers a persuasive speech, arguing that Man is the sole source of their tribulation.
- He details how individual animals surpass Man in strength, speed, sight, hearing, and smell.
- The Lion concedes that Man's only advantage is his 'combination' of traits, which animals lack collectively.
- He proposes a 'Federation' where animals pool their best traits to reign supreme.
- The Hawk, Hound, Bee, and Horse agree to pool their specific senses and abilities.
- They make the Lion king *pro tem.* (temporarily) on the condition he brings Man to reason.
- The crafty Lion proposes sending an embassy of the four animals who pooled their traits.
- The embassy enters Man's wide portals but finds no trace of him until he closes the gateway, trapping them.
- Man keeps the animals captive until they swear to be his servants forever.
- The Dog is assigned to watch, the Hawk to kill, the Horse to carry and till, and the Bee to fill jars with sweets.
- The Lion, who stayed home, purrs contentedly, keeping his *pro tem.* crown permanently, and the conditions are forgotten.
