AESOPS' FABLES
The Lion and The Archer
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Once upon a time, in a dense forest, there lived a very skillful Archer who had a reputation for being able to hit his target with great accuracy. He decided to go to the mountains in search of game, but as he approached the forest, all the beasts fled at his approach.
Frustrated, the Archer used all but one of his arrows, shooting at different targets to improve his skill.
The Archer felt discouraged as he had hoped to find some game for food and his reputation had not intimidated them. As he wandered through the forest, he suddenly heard a loud roar. Turning his head in the direction of the noise, he saw a mighty Lion approaching him. The Lion, seeing the Archer, immediately challenged him to combat.
The Archer, being skilled in the art of war, hunting, knew that he had a huge advantage with his bow and arrow, which meant he could fight from a distance. The Lion, however, was not aware of this and believed that his strength alone would be enough to overpower the Archer.
From two hundred paces, the Archer shot his last arrow and shouted to the Lion: "I am sending you a message so that you may know what to expect if you choose to fight me."
The arrow cut off the tip of the Lion’s tail. The wounded Lion was terrified and immediately fled in great fear, leaving the Archer victorious.
A Fox who had avoided being hurt by many arrows and had witnessed the event approached the Lion and advised him to keep his courage and not to back off at the first attack. “Learn from the events of today and try again. Once you get past the arrows, you will surely defeat the man” he advised the Lion.
However, the Lion replied, "If he is that strong from a distance, how much stronger up close. Thank you Fox but your words are folly. I cannot beat him.”
Frustrated, the Archer used all but one of his arrows, shooting at different targets to improve his skill.
The Archer felt discouraged as he had hoped to find some game for food and his reputation had not intimidated them. As he wandered through the forest, he suddenly heard a loud roar. Turning his head in the direction of the noise, he saw a mighty Lion approaching him. The Lion, seeing the Archer, immediately challenged him to combat.
The Archer, being skilled in the art of war, hunting, knew that he had a huge advantage with his bow and arrow, which meant he could fight from a distance. The Lion, however, was not aware of this and believed that his strength alone would be enough to overpower the Archer.
From two hundred paces, the Archer shot his last arrow and shouted to the Lion: "I am sending you a message so that you may know what to expect if you choose to fight me."
The arrow cut off the tip of the Lion’s tail. The wounded Lion was terrified and immediately fled in great fear, leaving the Archer victorious.
A Fox who had avoided being hurt by many arrows and had witnessed the event approached the Lion and advised him to keep his courage and not to back off at the first attack. “Learn from the events of today and try again. Once you get past the arrows, you will surely defeat the man” he advised the Lion.
However, the Lion replied, "If he is that strong from a distance, how much stronger up close. Thank you Fox but your words are folly. I cannot beat him.”
Art of War MAXIMS
3.2. Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.
6.02. Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him.
6.24. Carefully compare the opposing army with your own, so that you may know where strength is superabundant and where it is deficient.
10.21. The natural formation of the country is the soldier's best ally; but a power of estimating the adversary, of controlling the forces of victory, and of shrewdly calculating difficulties, dangers and distances, constitutes the test of a great general.
SunTzuDo commentary
This fable addresses a valuable lesson about the importance of strategy and the art of war. The Archer knew that his bow and arrows gave him a tremendous ability and advantage of fighting from a distance. Only a fool would face a Lion without a long-distance weapon.
This fable illustrates the maxim from Sun Tzu's Art of War: "Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him." The Archer certainly achieved this aim, as the Lion fled and took the message of the Archer as fact. The Lion accepted that the Archer was more powerful than the Lion and that the Archer should be feared and not challenged.
This fable exemplifies the core philosophy of Sun Tzu's Art of War, which emphasizes the importance of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting as the ultimate strategy for success.
The Lion represents both strength, by his physical body, and force, in the reputation of the lethality of Lions. The large feline's reputation as an alpha predator and fighter is well-earned.
The Archer, on the other hand, represents strength combined with intelligence. Imagine if the Archer had faced the Lion without his bow but with no arrows. Had an actual fight occurred, chances are the Archer would have perished. This fable warns never to confuse force with strength.
Any fool can count, but to accurately assess an enemy by understanding both what is obvious and what is hidden or disguised. The ability to accurately estimate the threat of an adversary, of controlling the forces of victory, and shrewdly calculate difficulties, dangers, and distances, constitutes the test of a great general according to Sun Tzu. The Archer passed while the Lion failed this critical test.
This fable teaches us the importance of strategy, tactics, and knowledge in the Art of War. The Archer's victory over the Lion demonstrates the excellence of using intelligence and skill, not just strength to defeat a formidable opponent.
The importance of knowing one's own strengths and weaknesses, as compared to those of the enemy is also highlighted. The Archer was aware of his advantage with his weapon, and he used it to his benefit. He did not try to fight the Lion on its own terms, but instead, he used his strengths to overcome the enemy.
Furthermore, the fable also highlights the significance of not underestimating the opponent. The Lion initially believed that its strength alone would be enough to overpower the Archer, but it failed to take into account its ignorance about the strengths and weaknesses of the Archer's weapon.
This understanding is applicable to many real-life situations. Being careful is wise, but not overly cautious. Never overestimate or underestimate the skills, knowledge, or actual size of a threat.
In conclusion, the Lion and the Archer fable is a timeless reminder that success in any endeavour requires a combination of strategy, skill, relevant knowledge, and intelligence. The victorious are resourceful and adaptable and always seeking out ways to use their strengths and intellect to overcome challenges and achieve goals.
This fable illustrates the maxim from Sun Tzu's Art of War: "Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him." The Archer certainly achieved this aim, as the Lion fled and took the message of the Archer as fact. The Lion accepted that the Archer was more powerful than the Lion and that the Archer should be feared and not challenged.
This fable exemplifies the core philosophy of Sun Tzu's Art of War, which emphasizes the importance of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting as the ultimate strategy for success.
The Lion represents both strength, by his physical body, and force, in the reputation of the lethality of Lions. The large feline's reputation as an alpha predator and fighter is well-earned.
The Archer, on the other hand, represents strength combined with intelligence. Imagine if the Archer had faced the Lion without his bow but with no arrows. Had an actual fight occurred, chances are the Archer would have perished. This fable warns never to confuse force with strength.
Any fool can count, but to accurately assess an enemy by understanding both what is obvious and what is hidden or disguised. The ability to accurately estimate the threat of an adversary, of controlling the forces of victory, and shrewdly calculate difficulties, dangers, and distances, constitutes the test of a great general according to Sun Tzu. The Archer passed while the Lion failed this critical test.
This fable teaches us the importance of strategy, tactics, and knowledge in the Art of War. The Archer's victory over the Lion demonstrates the excellence of using intelligence and skill, not just strength to defeat a formidable opponent.
The importance of knowing one's own strengths and weaknesses, as compared to those of the enemy is also highlighted. The Archer was aware of his advantage with his weapon, and he used it to his benefit. He did not try to fight the Lion on its own terms, but instead, he used his strengths to overcome the enemy.
Furthermore, the fable also highlights the significance of not underestimating the opponent. The Lion initially believed that its strength alone would be enough to overpower the Archer, but it failed to take into account its ignorance about the strengths and weaknesses of the Archer's weapon.
This understanding is applicable to many real-life situations. Being careful is wise, but not overly cautious. Never overestimate or underestimate the skills, knowledge, or actual size of a threat.
In conclusion, the Lion and the Archer fable is a timeless reminder that success in any endeavour requires a combination of strategy, skill, relevant knowledge, and intelligence. The victorious are resourceful and adaptable and always seeking out ways to use their strengths and intellect to overcome challenges and achieve goals.