For children: Tired of being ignored by lion king, the animals of Nallamala Forest turn to democracy

As king, Maheesha didn’t get any special food privileges – he still had to hunt for his meals like every other animal. A few days later, during one of his hunting trips, Maheesha couldn’t catch a single prey. Every time he tried to pounce, the animals seemed to scatter well before he made his move. This happened again and again, leaving the mighty hunter both frustrated and confused.

Determined to find out what was wrong, Maheesha shifted his focus to smaller animals. Finally, he managed to corner a little rabbit under his paw.

“How do you know I’m coming? Am I too loud?” Maheesha growled, his voice rumbling like distant thunder.

The rabbit quivered in fear but stayed silent.

“Speak up! I’ll let you go if you tell me the truth,” Maheesha offered impatiently.

“You have a tracking device on your head,” the rabbit squeaked, daring to smile a little.

“What nonsense!” Maheesha scoffed, but he instinctively reached up to touch his crown. “Where?”

“The stone at the centre,” the rabbit explained, its voice steadier now. “It glows brightly, especially in the dark. That’s how we all know you’re coming.”

Startled, Maheesha removed his crown and examined it carefully. He frowned as he realised that the rabbit was right – the gem at the centre emitted a faint light.

“I see…” Maheesha muttered, sighing heavily. He released his paw, letting the rabbit scramble away into the bushes without looking back.

Standing alone in the clearing, Maheesha stared at his crown, now understanding why his prey had always been a step ahead.

From that day on, Maheesha left the crown in his den whenever he went hunting. Without the bright gem revealing his arrival, he was able to move quietly again and catch his prey with ease.

Maheesha remained ever vigilant, keeping watch over Naimusha Forest. When he wasn’t hunting, he spent his time protecting the forest from external threats and settling disputes over hunting territories.

One evening, as Maheesha was preparing to go out for a hunt, he noticed two tigers standing outside his den. Curious, he stepped out and asked, “Do you want to join me for hunting?”

But instead of responding, the tigers held up a placard that read: “Free Meat Now!”

Annoyed, Maheesha chased them away. But the next day, a few bears showed up with the same demand. As the days passed, more and more carnivores began gathering outside his den, and unease spread among the animals. What started as hushed whispers soon turned into clusters of gossip. The gossip grew louder until it blossomed into lively chatter that echoed through the entire jungle.

The carnivores eventually approached Maheesha in groups, reminding him of his election promise for free meat. But Maheesha remained aloof, refusing to address their demands.

The animals, frustrated by his silence, began staging demonstrations outside King Maheesha’s den, waving his election symbol high. What started as a small, silent gathering soon swelled into a full-blown protest. The carnivores took turns holding signs and chanting, “Free meat! Free meat!” day and night. To disrupt Maheesha’s peace, they even blared loud music while he tried to sleep.

As their frustration mounted, the animals grew bolder. They began shadowing Maheesha on his hunting trips, deliberately scaring off his prey before he could strike.

“You’ve come all this way. Why don’t you hunt for yourselves?” Maheesha growled, his patience wearing thin.

But the animals didn’t budge. They continued their antics, alerting every creature Maheesha tried to approach. Their relentless interference made hunting nearly impossible, and life increasingly difficult for the king.

Relenting to their demands, Maheesha convened a meeting with his council of ministers. After much debate and discussion, they devised a new plan to address the unrest. Maheesha established a hunting squad made up of volunteers eager to take on the challenge. To bolster their ranks, he recruited experienced hunters from neighbouring, less prosperous forests, promising them free food in exchange for their service. The squad’s primary task was to hunt and procure meat for the carnivores of Naimusha.

Excerpted with permission from Panchatantra 2.0: Fables For The Modern Times, Karteek Manchala, Scholastic India.