In a distant enchanted forest there lived a king of beasts named Lion. He was a good ruler: wise, fair, and honest. He had many enviers, and many wanted to take his place. But the Bear was the most ambitious claimant to the throne. He decided that he too could be king of the beasts.
Calling all the animals to an assembly, the Bear declared:
Listen, I will bring order to this forest! I won't dance to anyone's tune, and I won't be ceremonious with anyone!
The calm and composed Lion, after hearing his speech, said:
Go ahead and try, Bear, if you wish. You are smart and strong—rule. If you are a good leader for a month, I will step down from the throne myself and hand over the management to you.
The Bear's joy knew no bounds. Only the small animals were unhappy, because he acted only on his whims and paid no attention to the wishes of others. But it was simpler than that. Mikhail didn't offend anyone; he ate his fill, stored up fat, crawled into his den, and fell into hibernation.
Then came a celebration for the animals: the king sleeps, freedom of action: robberies, fights, quarrels…
The Lion observed all this and decided to take control of the forest back into his paws. The forest folk couldn't be left without a king for long.
And the Bear continued to sleep in his den.
The Moral of the Story:
If you can't do it—don't boast and don't promise, but if you can—prove it in deed!
