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The Lion and the Bull الْأَسَدُ وَالثَّوْرُ

kaana al-asadu malika al-ghaabati wakaana lahu ṣadiiqun huwa ath-thawruThe lion was king of the forest and he had a friend, the bull.
kaanaa yajlisaani maʿan kulla yawmin wayataḥaddathaaniThey sat together every day and talked.
ghaara ibnu aawaa min haadhihi aṣ-ṣadaaqatiA jackal was jealous of this friendship.
dhahaba ilaa al-asadi waqaala ath-thawru yuriidu an yakuuna al-malikaHe went to the lion and said, "The bull wants to be king."
thumma dhahaba ilaa ath-thawri waqaala al-asadu yuriidu an yaqtulakaThen he went to the bull and said, "The lion wants to kill you."
khaafa al-thnaani wa’akhadhaa yanẓuraani ilaa baʿḍihimaa bishakkinBoth were afraid and began to look at each other with suspicion.
iltaqayaa fii al-ghaabati wahumaa ghaaḍibaaniThey met in the forest, both of them angry.
taqaatalaa wamaata ath-thawruThey fought and the bull died.
nadima al-asadu kathiiran ḥiina ʿarafa al-ḥaqiiqataThe lion regretted it deeply when he learned the truth.
laa tuṣaddiq kulla maa tasmaʿu ʿan ṣadiiqikaDo not believe everything you hear about your friend.

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About this tale

From Kalila wa Dimna, the Arabic classic by Ibn al-Muqaffa' (8th century), which is based on older Indian fables.