The Lion's Tail

This story seemed a bit familiar, but we liked it. It has a good message.

 

Once upon a time, a little girl named Yabsera lived with her father, following the death of her mother. They were very lonely until one day, Yabsera was told that her father was marrying again. Very excited to meet her new “mother,” she peeked out the door as an elegant carriage pulled up on the wedding day. Suddenly she was pulled inside by her grandmother and asked to help chop onions (the main ingredient in doro wot!). Her father’s new bride entered the house and for the rest of the evening was surrounded by guests. The few times that Yabsera tried to approach her new mother, someone would grab her and say “Be patient, it’s not time yet.” Well apparently that time never arrived for soon after the party was over and all was cleaned up, Yabsera went to bed sad.

 

Over the next several days and weeks, Yabsera tried to interact with her step-mother but much to her disappointment, she never received any acknowledgement of her presence, besides an occasional cold stare. Yabsera decided to go to her wise grandfather for help and so, after telling him of her frustration, she asked his advice. The grandfather leaned back against the old fig tree and responded, “The key to winning the love of your step-mother is simple, but in order for me to tell you, you must first bring me a hair plucked from the tail of a lion.”Confused by the request, Yabsera went home and thought about her grandfather’s words all evening.

 

The next morning, Yabsera rose early and grabbed a large chunk of meat from the storehouse. Slowly and filled with fear, she went deep into the forest to the cave where a large lion was known to live. Hiding behind a large tree, she could see the lion’s eyes glowing in the darkness of the cave. The lion stood up and walked to the entrance of the cave, staring intently at Yabsera in her unsuccessful hiding spot. Quickly, she threw the meat toward the lion and ran as fast as she could back home.

 

The next morning, Yabsera did the same thing, visiting the lion, throwing the meat and running. Morning after morning, for more than a month, Yabsera brought the lion some food, and each time getting a bit more brave. First she started to look back as she ran home. Then she merely walked home. Then she started to stay behind her tree and watch the lion eat the meat. Then she stayed out from behind the tree. Then, after more than a month of this routine, she started to approach the lion little by little each day. Finally, one day she got close enough to the lion that she could stroke its mane as he was eating the meat she had brought. Amazed that she had won the trust of this powerful carnivore she understood her grandfather’s advice.

 

That afternoon, Yabsera finished her housework and began helping her step-mother with dinner. With great patience, Yabsera made a habit of helping her and not pestering her with questions, which always went unanswered. When Yabsera did speak, her first words were “you are a beautiful woman, I am glad that you married my father.” For the first time, Yabsera’s step mother intentionally looked at her with something other than a cold stare; “thank you” she replied, and they kept working. Slowly, by slowly, with Yabsera’s intentional kindness, the relationship between step-mother and step-daughter grew until the day that Yabsera received her first hug. Being held in her step-mother’s embrace for the first time brought tears to her eyes, feeling the love that she was longing for.

 

The next morning, Yabsera visited the lion again, as she had continued to do for many months now. As she was stroking the lion’s fur she reached down and gently plucked a hair from his tail. When it came time to leave, Yabsera didn’t go home, she went straight to her grandfather’s house. After the formal greetings, Yabsera reached into her pocket and pulled out the lion’s tail hair. She placed it in the hand of her grandfather and simply said “thank you.” Her face told the rest of the story and the wise grandfather smiled as Yabsera quickly ran home to her family.