El len cobardica

En lo profundo de la selva, una vez vivi un enorme len de garras afiladas y

colmillos horripilantes, pero a pesar de su aspecto tan feroz, aquel len de nombre
Gentilio no era capaz ni de asustar a una simple mosca, y era tan bueno y gentil
que los conejos y las aves jugaban a su alrededor sin temor alguno.
La historia de nuestro len no es una historia cualquiera. Cuando la cigea lo
trajo volando al mundo, Gentilio era una bola de pelos muy pequeita, y como la
cigea estaba atrasada en las entregas, mezcl al leoncito con siete corderitos
de igual tamao, y as parti hacia el rebao de ovejas para entregar los nuevos
bebs.
Al verla acercarse, las ovejas se congregaron nerviosas y cuando por fin toc la
reparticin, cada una de ellas logr llevarse un hermoso cabrito, excepto la oveja
Bibi, que al ver a Gentilio por primera vez, se qued enamorada del pequeo len
y decidi criarlo y protegerlo con mucho amor y cario.
Cuando la cigea se dio cuenta de su error, ya era demasiado tarde. Me he
equivocado y debo devolver el len a su verdadera madre, intentaba explicar la
cigea mientras Bibi apretaba el leoncito contra su pecho. Cuando por fin se dio
cuenta que no podra convencer a la oveja, la cigea se march refunfuando
mientras repeta: Est bien, qudate con l y que tengas suerte.
Pero la verdad es que Gentilio no tuvo una niez fcil. A pesar del amor de su
madre, el leoncito no poda dejar de notar que era muy diferente al resto de las
pequeas ovejas. Con el paso del tiempo, le crecieron enormes dientes, garras
puntiagudas y un rabo largo y peludo. Por si fuera poco, Gentilio nunca aprendi a
saltar como el resto de sus amigos, ni tampoco saba embestir o balar, que es el
sonido que emiten las ovejas.
Tanto se burlaban del pobre len que se la pasaba todo el da cabizbajo y llorando,
excepto cuando su madre le consolaba y lo acurrucaba.
Un buen da, Gentilio se acerc a un lago para beber agua, y como nunca haba
visto su reflejo se asombr de ver que no se pareca en nada a las ovejas con
quienes viva. Su nariz era ancha y acompaada de largos bigotes, su pelaje era
amarillo, y sus orejas no eran puntiagudas, sino redondas y grandes.
Tengo la nariz ancha porque siempre tengo miedo, soy de color amarillo porque
me paso todo el tiempo triste, y para colmo, mis orejas son redondas de tanto que
he llorado. Soy el carnero ms feo del mundo, repeta entre sollozos el
desdichado de Gentilio, sin saber que l no era una oveja, sino un len hermoso y
fuerte.
Toda la tarde se la pas Gentilio asomado en el reflejo del lago, lamentndose de
su horrible aspecto. Sin embargo, a la cada de la tarde, el len oy varios gritos
desesperados a lo lejos: Eran las ovejas! Un terrible lobo las acechaba para
comrselas, y cuando Gentilio arrib al lugar pudo ver que el lobo estaba
persiguiendo nada ms y nada menos que a su querida madre Bibi.
Las ovejas corran en todas las direcciones muertas de miedo, pero Gentilio no
saba qu hacer. El lobo estaba cada vez ms cerca de atrapar a Bibi y cuando
estuvo a punto de tragrsela, Gentilio sinti algo raro en su interior. El miedo se
haba convertido en furia, y sin notarlo, haba asomado sus enormes garras y sus
colmillos mientras ruga con toda la fuerza de sus pulmones.
Tan grande fue su rugido que todas las ovejas se quedaron inmviles, y por
supuesto, el lobo tambin se detuvo contemplando con asombro a Gentilio. Sin
pensarlo dos veces, el lobo se mand a correr a toda velocidad, huyendo lejos del
lugar para nunca volver, y as fue como las ovejas pudieron quedar a salvo y
respetaron desde ese da al noble de Gentilio, que aunque segua jugando con las
aves y los conejitos, nunca ms pudieron burlarse de l.
La gratitud de la fiera

Haba una vez un esclavo al servicio de Roma, que escap de su amo para
refugiarse en el bosque. Su nombre era Androcles, y una vez en las montaas,
decidi guarecerse de los guardias que le perseguan, y se ocult en una enorme
cueva.

An en la tenebrosa oscuridad de la cueva, Androcles pudo notar la presencia de

imponente len. La fiera se encontraba tumbada en el suelo con una pata herida, y
ante la mirada del esclavo lanz un rugido de dolor incontenible.

No temas, amigo len. Te ayudar para que te recuperes pronto le dijo Androcles
conforme se iba acercando poco a poco al animal. En un comienzo, el len
mantuvo su fiereza, hasta que, poco a poco, Androcles logr ganarse su
confianza. El esclavo extrajo una flecha clavada en la pata del len, y cur su
herida con agua limpia.

Al cabo de un tiempo, Androcles y la fiera comenzaron a convivir con tranquilidad

escondidos en la cueva. Cierto da que el muchacho sali en busca de alimentos,
le capturaron los soldados del emperador, y le llevaron consigo a la ciudad para
que sirviera en el circo.

A los pocos das, Androcles fue arrojado a un foso pestilente. El lugar se

encontraba repleto de personas curiosas y desesperadas por ver la batalla. Ante
los ojos de aquel joven apareci un temible len, que vena acercndose hacia l
con grandes zancadas. En ese preciso instante, el len qued parado frente a
Androcles y para sorpresa de todos, comenz a rugir cariosamente acariciando
su cabeza contra el cuerpo del esclavo.

Emperador, perdone la vida de este esclavo, pues ha logrado someter al len

gritaban a coro los presentes, y el emperador as lo hizo. Androcles fue puesto en
libertad, y nunca se supo que aquel len, era en verdad aquel de la cueva que
tanta amistad haba hecho con Androcles.
Pedro y el lobo

En un pequeo pueblito de campo, haba una vez un pcaro muchacho que sala
todas las maanas a pastar sus ovejas. Mientras descansaba tumbado en la
yerba, el muchacho ocupaba su pensamiento con bromas y ocurrencias para
asustar a los nobles habitantes de aquel pueblito.

Un buen da, decidi divertirse de lo lindo, y baj corriendo la colina desde donde
pastaba. Auxilio! Viene el lobo! gritaba con toda la fuerza de sus pulmones una
y otra vez. Los campesinos del lugar, se armaron de maderos y cuchillos y salieron
al encuentro del muchacho para socorrerlo.

Sin embargo, al ver al pcaro soltando enormes carcajadas, comprendieron que se

trataba de una broma de mal gusto, por lo que regresaron a sus casas muy
enfadados. El joven haba redo tanto, que quiso repetir la broma una vez ms, y
esper a que los campesinos volvieran a sus labores para comenzar a gritar.

Auxilio! Viene el lobo! y salieron nuevamente las personas a socorrerlo, solo

que esta vez, terminaron an ms enfadados por las risotadas burlonas del
jovenzuelo. Al da siguiente, el muchacho se dispuso a pastar sus ovejas como de
costumbre, cuando sinti un gruido espantoso a sus espaldas. Al volverse, not
la presencia de un temible lobo que le acechaba mostrando sus dientes.

Ayuda por favor! Auxilio! El lobo est devorando mis ovejas! pero las personas,
creyendo que se trataba de otra de sus bromas, hicieron caso omiso a los gritos
del joven. Y cierto es, que por ms que se empe en pedir auxilio, los
campesinos continuaron realizando sus labores sin prestar atencin.

De esa manera, el lobo se zamp, una tras otra hasta no dejar ninguna, todas las
ovejas del muchacho, a quien jams se le ocurri volver a bromear con los
habitantes de aquel pueblito, pues aprendi que la mentira y el engao nunca
traen provecho alguno.
The cowardly lion

Deep in the jungle there once lived a huge lion with sharp claws and horrifying
fangs, but in spite of its ferocious appearance, that lion named Gentile was not
capable of frightening a simple fly, and was so good and Gentle that rabbits and
birds played around them without fear.

The story of our lion is not just any story. When the stork brought him flying to the
world, Gentilio was a very small ball of hair, and as the stork was late in deliveries,
he mixed the little lion with seven lambs of equal size, and so he set out for the
flock of sheep to deliver the new babies.

When she saw her approaching, the sheep gathered nervously, and when she
finally touched the distribution, each of them managed to take a beautiful kid,
except the Bibi sheep, who, seeing Gentilio for the first time, fell in love with the
little lion and decided to raise him And protect him with much love and affection.

When the stork realized his mistake, it was too late. "I was wrong and I must return
the lion to his real mother," he tried to explain the stork as Bibi pressed the lion to
his chest. When he finally realized that he could not convince the sheep, the stork
left grumbling as he repeated, "Okay, stay with him and get lucky."

But the truth is that Gentile did not have an easy childhood. Despite his mother's
love, the little lion could not help but notice that it was very different from the rest of
the little sheep. Over time, he grew huge teeth, pointed claws and a long, hairy tail.

As if that were not enough, Gentile never learned to jump like the rest of his
friends, nor did he know how to ram or blow, which is the sound emitted by the
sheep.

So much mocked the poor lion that he spent all day cowering and crying, except
when his mother comforted him and cuddled.

One day, Gentile approached a lake to drink water, and as he had never seen his
reflection he was astonished to see that he was not at all like the sheep with whom
he lived. His nose was broad and accompanied by long mustaches, his coat was
yellow, and his ears were not pointed, but round and large.

"I have a wide nose because I am always afraid, I am yellow because I spend all
the time sad, and to top it all, my ears are round so much that I have cried. I am the
ugliest ram in the world, "the unfortunate Gentile repeated, sobbing, not knowing
that he was not a sheep but a beautiful and strong lion.
All afternoon Gentile stood in the mirror of the lake, lamenting his horrible
appearance. However, at dusk, the lion heard several desperate cries in the
distance: It was the sheep! A terrible wolf lurked to eat them, and when Gentilius
arrived at the place he could see that the wolf was pursuing nothing more and
nothing less than his beloved mother Bibi.

The sheep ran in all directions dead with fear, but Gentile did not know what to do.
The wolf was getting closer and closer to catching Bibi, and when he was about to
swallow it, Gentilio felt something strange inside him. Fear had turned to rage, and
without noticing it, his enormous claws and fangs had loomed out as he roared with
all the strength of his lungs.

So great was his roar that all the sheep remained motionless, and of course the
wolf also stopped, staring with astonishment at Gentile. Without thinking twice, the
wolf was sent to run at full speed, fleeing far from the place to never return, and
this was how the sheep were able to stay safe and respected since that day the
nobleman of Gentile, who although still playing with the birds And the bunnies,
could never make fun of him again.

The gratitude of the beast

There was once a slave in the service of Rome, who escaped from his master to
take shelter in the forest. His name was Androcles, and once in the mountains, he
decided to shelter himself from the guards who were chasing him, and hid himself
in a huge cave.

Even in the dark darkness of the cave, Androcles could see the presence of an
imposing lion. The beast was lying on the ground with a broken leg, and at the
slave's gaze he let out a roar of uncontrollable pain.

"Do not be afraid, my friend, Lion. I'll help you get well soon, "Androcles told him as
he approached the animal. At first, the lion held its fierceness, until, little by little,
Androcles managed to gain its confidence. The slave extracted an arrow stuck in
the lion's paw, and healed his wound with clean water
After a while, Androcles and the beast began to live quietly hidden in the cave. One
day the boy went looking for food, the Emperor's soldiers captured him, and took
him to the city to serve in the circus.

A few days later, Androcles was thrown into a pestilential pit. The place was filled
with people curious and desperate to see the battle. In the eyes of this young man
appeared a fearsome lion, who was coming towards him with great strides. At that
moment, the lion stood before Androcles and to everyone's surprise, he began to
roar affectionately caressing his head against the body of the slave.

"Emperor, pardon the life of this slave, for he has succeeded in submitting the lion"
- the people shouted in chorus, and the emperor did so. Androcles was released,
and it was never known that this lion was indeed that of the cave that had made
such friendship with Androcles.

Peter and the Wolf

In a small country village, there was once a rogue boy who went out every morning
to graze his sheep. While lying on the grass, the boy occupied his thoughts with
jokes and occurrences to frighten the noble inhabitants of that village.
One fine day, he decided to have a good time, and ran down the hill from where he
grazed. "Help! The wolf is coming! "He screamed with all the strength of his lungs
over and over again. The local peasants armed themselves with lumber and knives
and went out to meet the boy to help him.

However, seeing the rogue with great laughter, they understood that it was a joke
in bad taste, so they returned to their homes very angry. The young man had
laughed so hard, he wanted to repeat the joke once more, and waited for the
peasants to return to their labors to start shouting.
"Help! The wolf is coming! "And the people went out to help him again, only this
time, they were even more annoyed by the mocking laughter of the youngster. The
next day, the boy prepared to graze his sheep as usual, when he felt a hideous
grunt behind him. As he turned, he noticed the presence of a fearsome wolf that
lurked in his teeth.

"Please help! Help! The wolf is devouring my sheep! "But the people, believing it to
be another of their jokes, ignored the screams of the young man. And it is true that,
although he insisted on asking for help, the peasants continued their work without
paying attention.

In this way, the wolf was buried one by one until he left none, all the sheep of the
boy, who never thought to joke again with the inhabitants of that little town,
because he learned that lying and deceit never profited any.