Tara

10 Forewarning

1	A Lion afflicted with growing infirmities from old age,
2	Resolved to provide food for himself not by brute force, but cunning artifice.
3	The Lion let it be known to all the forest that he was gravely ill,
4	Then returned to lie down in his den.
5	Friend and foe did then come, one by one, either to pay their respects, or to claim his throne.
6	Some time later as almost none visited, the Lion ventured to the mouth of the cave, where he spotted a Hare moving past and said:
7	Pray thee Hare we may speak of these difficult times. For I long for amicability between us and have not yet received your visitation.
8	To which the Hare did reply: I thank thee great King for such gracious gestures. Yet I shall presently be on my way.
9	Alas, I note there are many prints of feet entering your domain, yet no trace of such returning.