How the Lion became King - by Étienne

Now Best Beloved, when the world was so new and all, Elephant was the king of every living thing from the shore to your door, from the sea to the bee, and the sky to the fly. Everyone was happy under his rule, that is, nearly everything. Lion and Hyena, Best Beloved, complained about the rule Elephant made that said that ‘Everything that eats meat has to scavenge.’.

So Elephant cried and he sighed, he thought and he sought and he basked and he asked until finally he came up with the idea to make a contest for the two living things that complained, Best Beloved, and whoever won would become king of all the living things. So Elephant called every living thing on Africa to the foot of Kilamanjaro and cried “Now two living things, Lion and Hyena, say that they don’t like my rules! So, I have called you all hear to witness the tests which will decide the new KING!”.
So all the animals in Africa shouted “Long live the new King! Long live the new King!”.

“The first test,” said Elephant, “shall be one of strength! Whoever can lift up a half-grown Acacia by its roots, shall be the winner of this test! On your marks, get set, GO!”
Hyena went to the nearest Acacia tree, and he pulled and he pulled and he pulled, and he pulled and he pulled and he pulled, but, Best Beloved, he could not move it an inch!
It was now Lion’s turn, so he walked to Hyena’s tree, and gave it a VERY hard push with his paw, and, to everyone’s amazement, it fell to the ground, roots and all!
“Very good.” said the Elephant, “We have our winner!”. All the living things in Africa applauded him.

Elephant spoke again, “Now, the second one shall be a test for your jaw. Get two fresh Zebra carcasses!” Lion would have won, Best Beloved, if Hyena hadn’t thought up a cunning plan. While Elephant was talking, Hyena dug a deep, thin hole. And when the competition started, Hyena pretended to furiously attack the carcass while, at the same time, edging it towards the hole. When Lion was half-way through his carcass, a Gazelle shouted “Oh! Hyena has finished his carcass!”. And true enough, Best Beloved, Hyena had pushed the carcass down the hole. But before Elephant had declared him the winner, Vulture, who in those days had feathers on her head, screeched “Cheat! Cheat! Of all the living things in Africa! Cheat! You hid the carcass in the hole you are next to! Cheat!”. Hyena was so shocked, that he through a stone at Vulture. It hit Vulture on the head and knocked off her head feathers. That is why from that day forth, Best Beloved, she has no head feathers. But Elephant paid no attention to Vulture and announced Hyena the winner!

“The third and last test,” boomed Elephant, “is going to one for bravery! Whoever wins this one, shall be king! Who will face Hyena and Lion in this test?”. Cobra volunteered and he went to face them. Cobra said “Now, I will spring on the count of three. One… Two…THREE!”. Cobra sprang so high, Best Beloved, that he looked like he was flying!
When he was in mid-air, he hissed loudly, bared his teeth and fell towards Hyena. Hyena gulped and took a step back right into his hole, Best Beloved! He was stuck half-way in the hole, so he couldn’t get out and he couldn’t go in! Cobra quickly changed direction and hit Lion. Cobra slithered off him and said “Lion is King!”. All the living things cheered “Lion is King! Lion is King! Lion is King!”. Lion walked up to Cobra and said “Because you helped with the last test, I will give you a gift.”. He rubbed Cobra’s head very hard and, Best Beloved, two great folds appeared, one on each side of Cobra’s neck.
Lion then got some blood and painted patterns on the folds. “Now everyone will know you as Cobra, the Great!” Lion said. When Hyena got out of the hole, Best Beloved, he was so afraid of everyone laughing at him, he became a coward and because he lost the test, he only scavenges.

And the Lion ruled greatly and wisely from that day forth, Best Beloved.