A Lion lay நோய்noi · sick in அவன்avan · his den, unable to provide himself with food. So he said to his friend the Fox, who came to ask how he did, "My good friend, I wish you would go to yonder wood and beguile the big Stag, who lives there, to come to என்ēn · my கூடுkūṭu · den: I have a fancy to make என்ēn · my dinner off a stag's heart and brains."
The Fox போய்pōy · went to the wood and கண்டுபிடிச்சிட்டுkaṇṭupiṭiccitu · found the Stag and சொன்னதுconnatu · said to him, "My dear sir, you're in luck. You தெரியும்theriyum · know the Lion, our King: well, he's at the point of death, and has appointed you his successor to rule over the beasts. I hope you won't forget that I was the first to bring you the good செய்திseydhi · news. And now I must be going back to அவன்avan · him; and, if நீnee · you take என்en · my advice, நீnee · you'll come ரொம்பromba · too and be with அவன்avan · him at the last."
The Stag இருந்ததுirundhadhu · was highly flattered, and followed the Fox to the Lion's den, suspecting எதுவும்edhum · anything இல்லilla · not. No sooner had he got inside than the Lion sprang upon him, but he misjudged his spring, and the Stag got away with only his ears torn, and returned as fast as he could to the shelter of the wood.
The Fox was much mortified, and the Lion, டூtū · too, was dreadfully disappointed, ஃபார்fār · for he was getting very hungry இன்-ஸ்பைட்-ஆவ்in-spait-āv · in spite of his illness. So he வேண்டினார்vēṇṭinār · begged the Fox to have another முயற்சிmuyarci · try at coaxing the Stag to his den. It'll be almost impossible this time," said the Fox, "but I'll முயல்வேன்muyalvēn · try"; and off he went to the wood a second முறைmurai · time, and found the Stag resting and trying to recover from his fright.
As soon as அவன்avan · he saw the Fox அவன்avan · he cried, "You scoundrel, என்னenna · what do நீnee · you mean by trying to lure என்னenna · me to என்en · my death like that? Take yourself போpo · go, or I'll do you to death with my horns." But the Fox was entirely வெட்கமில்லாமல்vetkamillāmal · shameless. "What a கோழைkōḻai · coward you இருந்தாய்iruntāy · were," said அவன்avan · he; "surely you நினைக்கவில்லைninaikkavillai · didn't think the Lion எந்தத்entat · any harm என்னைennai · meant?" Why, அவன்avan · he was only going to whisper some royal secrets into உங்கள்ungal · your ear when நீங்கneenga · you went off like a scared rabbit. You have rather disgusted him, and I'm not sure he won't make the wolf King instead, unless நீni · you திரும்பthirumba · come back இப்போippo · at once வந்துvandhu · and show காட்டுkaattu · show you've got கொஞ்சம்konjam · some spirit. I promise உங்கunga · you he won't hurt உங்கunga · you, and I will be உங்கunga · your faithful servant."
The Stag was foolish enough to be persuaded to return, and this time the Lion made no mistake, but overpowered அவன்avan · him, and feasted right royally upon அவன்avan · his carcase. The Fox, meanwhile, watched his chance and, when the Lion wasn't looking, filched away the மூளைmoḷai · brains to reward அவனுக்குavanukku · him for his trouble. Presently the Lion began searching for them, of course without success: and the Fox, who was watching him, said, "நான்naan · I நினைக்கலninaikkala · don't think ரொம்பromba · much பயன்payan · use உன்un · your looking for the brains: a creature who twice walked into a Lion's den கிட்டkitta · have எதுவும்ethuvum · any இல்ல">.