The Lion and the Doe
A sad love story for the lion. If you think about it, if the lion was not labeled as "the king of the jungle" no one would care about his sinful affection for a doe. If the lion was an average joe animal, like a gazelle, no one would be so concerned. But the Jataka has relevance in modern day. It is similar to the lion and the lamb story. Love can make people do just about anything. An unquestioned trust can lead to an unfortunate ending as well. I think in this story, the plan to kill the lion was by using his biggest weakness and vulnerability, his lover. This plot can be seen in many movies. For example, super heroes are hesitant to love someone in fear their lover will be harmed.
One of the statements at the end of the Jataka, I am still trying to decipher:
"Trust not the trusted, nor th’ untrusted trust;
Trust kills; through trust the lion bit the dust."
I think it means to not be so trusting in others. For if you do, it could be your greatest down fall.
(The Lion and Lamb - Image Source)
Bibliography: "The Lion and the Doe." by Robert Chalmers. Web Source
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