In the heart of the South African plains, where the tall grasses whispered secrets to the wind and the sun burned gold across the land, there lived a lion named Tau. His mane was thick and shining, his claws sharp as stone, and his roar ah, his roar was said to echo from one end of the savannah to the other.
Every morning, Tau would climb the rocky hill above his den and roar to announce his greatness. The sound made the birds scatter and the smaller animals tremble. “Who is the king of this land?” he would shout, and the echoes would answer, “Tau! Tau!”
For a time, Tau believed the world was perfect so long as everyone feared him. When he passed the gazelles, they bowed their heads and ran. When he met the hyenas, they flattened themselves to the ground. He even mocked the tortoise, who moved too slowly for his liking.
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One day, Tau crossed paths with a tiny hare named Lebo. The hare was busy gathering grass for his nest and did not move fast enough when Tau approached. The lion growled, “Do you not bow before your king?”
The hare looked up, trembling but brave. “Great Lion,” he said, “a king who must remind others of his power may not be as mighty as he thinks.”
Tau roared with laughter. “Little creature, your words are as small as your legs.” Then, with a flick of his tail, he marched away, his pride swelling like a thundercloud.
But that night, something strange happened. When the moon rose and the stars began their dance, Tau tried to roar and nothing came out. Not even a growl. His throat was silent, as if the wind itself had stolen his voice.
He tried again, harder, but the sound that escaped was no more than a weak sigh. Panic filled him. What is a lion without his roar?
The next morning, the savannah was quiet. The birds sang, the wind moved gently, and Tau’s hill stood empty. The lion hid in his den, too ashamed to face the world. Days passed. Without his roar, no one feared him anymore. Even the monkeys laughed when he walked by.
Finally, driven by desperation, Tau went to see the wise tortoise, Kgabo, who lived near the riverbank. The tortoise listened patiently as the lion spoke in his low, broken voice.
“I have lost my roar, old one. Tell me how to find it again.”
Kgabo blinked slowly. “Perhaps the roar left you because it was tired of pride.”
Tau frowned. “What does that mean?”
The tortoise smiled gently. “A voice of strength cannot live in a heart full of arrogance. You must learn what it means to be humble. Help others, not for glory, but because it is right.”
Tau grumbled but agreed. He returned to the savannah and began to observe the world in silence. Without his roar, he was forced to listen. He noticed how the meerkats worked together to build their homes, how the elephants cared for their young, and how even the smallest birds warned each other of danger.
One hot afternoon, Tau came across a zebra trapped in a thorn bush. The proud lion he once was might have laughed and walked away. But something inside him had changed. He carefully pulled back the thorns with his claws, freeing the zebra.
“Thank you, Tau,” said the zebra, surprised. “I thought you only cared for yourself.”
Tau shook his head slowly. “I am learning that strength means nothing if it is not shared.”
As days passed, he helped more animals, the injured antelope, the lost cub, the thirsty tortoise. He found that each act of kindness filled him with a quiet warmth he had never known before.
One evening, after helping the hare Lebo find shelter from a storm, Tau lay beneath the stars and felt peace for the first time in his life. The wind rustled through the tall grass, and for a moment, it sounded like a distant roar.
He stood up, took a deep breath, and opened his mouth. This time, a deep, powerful sound rolled out across the plains strong, but no longer cruel. The roar was filled with gratitude and understanding. The animals lifted their heads and listened. It was not the roar of fear but of harmony.
From that night on, Tau no longer called himself king. Instead, he became the protector of the plains, using his strength to keep balance and peace among the animals. The savannah flourished, and even the hare Lebo became his trusted friend.
Whenever the young animals asked how he regained his roar, Tau would smile and say, “A roar without kindness is only noise. But a roar born of humility can move the earth.”
And when the winds swept across the grasslands, carrying the echoes of his voice, the elders would tell their children, “Listen closely, that is the sound of the lion who learned to listen before he spoke.”
Moral Lesson
True strength is not in power or pride but in kindness and humility. When we use our gifts to help others rather than to dominate them, we discover our truest voice.
Knowledge Check
Who is the main character in The Lion Who Forgot His Roar?
Tau, a proud lion who learns humility and compassion after losing his roar.What caused Tau to lose his roar?
His arrogance and lack of kindness toward the smaller animals.What advice does the wise tortoise give Tau?
That his roar left him because it could not stay in a heart filled with pride, and he must learn humility.How does Tau begin to change?
He starts helping other animals selflessly, learning compassion and respect.What happens when Tau finally learns kindness?
His roar returns, stronger and more meaningful, symbolising harmony and redemption.What is the main message of the story?
Humility and empathy bring real power, while pride leads to emptiness and isolation.
Source
Sotho folktale, South Africa. Collected by Peter Seboko in Voices of the Plains: Sotho Animal Tales (1974).
