Lions Whisker

Alvin was a happy little boy living with his parent in India. But one day, his mother
died and Alvin was so hurt. A year passed and his father decided to remarry. But
Alvin remained so hurt. So when Zita met him and hugged him he pulled away from
her. When Zita fixed him his favourite foods for dinner he didnt eat. Whenever she
spoke to him he ignored her.
One day when her husband was gone hunting, Zita went to Alvins bedroom to talk to
him.
"Alvin, I love you so much and I really need you to love me."
Alvin jumped up and said, "I hate you, you arent my mother."
Alvin ran past Zita and out of the house. Zita sat down and cried and cried. When
her husband returned he go to find Alvin. Alvin was at the river in his favourite spot.
The two walked home and ate dinner without a word.
That night, Zita got out and walked deep into the forest to the witch doctor. The
witch doctor was a very wise woman who knew the ways of peoples minds and hearts.
"I need you to make me a love potion so my step-son will love me," said Zita.
"Well," the old woman said slowly, "Before I can give you a love potion, you must
bring me the whisker from a lion."
Zitas eyes grew large as she said, "How am I supposed to do that?"
"Use your imagination," said the witch doctor.
The next day, Zita got up before the sun rose and put several large pieces of raw
meat in a bag and headed toward the hills. She walked until she found a cave which

had large paw prints around it. Zita took a piece of meat out and placed it in front of
the entrance of the cave. Then she hid in the bushes about 50 feet from the
entrance and waited.
After a few minutes a large lion stepped out of the cave, looked around, smelled the
meat, and ate it all up.
Zita waited for a couple of hours then she placed a second piece of meat in front of
the entrance of the cave. Then she moved back only 25 feet and didnt hide in the
bushes. After a few minutes the lion came out. He looked around, stared at Zita,
smelled the meat, picked it up, and ate it all up.
Zita waited for a couple of hours then she placed a third piece of meat in front of
the entrance of the cave. She moved back only 5 feet and didnt hide in the bushes.
After a few minutes the lion came out. He looked around, stared at Zita, smelled the
meat, picked it up, and ate it all up.
Zita waited for a couple of more hours then she placed a forth piece of meat in
front of the entrance of the cave. She moved back only two steps. After a few
minutes the lion came out. He looked around, stared at Zita. She stared back at the
lion and didnt move her body. The lion smelled the meat, picked it up and began
eating.
Very slowly Zita grabbed a whisker and quickly pulled it out. The lion kept eating as
slowly, very slowly. Zita ran back to the witch doctors home.
She rushed into the witch doctors house and held up the whisker. "See, here, I
brought you a lions whisker. Now, give me a love potion."

The witch doctor looked at the whisker. "Ah, this does look like a lions whisker. But,
I dont have any love potions. Now, tell me, how did you get that lions whisker?" the
old lady asked.
"Well, I had to be very careful and patient. I was very gentle and very quiet, and
persistent."
"See, you have all of the skills you will need to get your stepson to love you without a
magic potion."
Then Zita understood. She returned home and treated Alvin nicely as before. But,
she did not make any special efforts to win his affection. When Alvin was rude to
her or ignored her, she continued on as if he had said nothing. In three weeks Alvin
began to smile and speak to Zita. In six weeks he offered to help her with chores. In
nine weeks he invited her to walk with him to his favourite place at the river. One
night about 12 weeks later, just before he fell asleep Alvin looked up in Zitas eyes
and said, "Zita, I love you."