The woodcutter’s daughter was the forest jewel. She was kind, clever, and a friend to all, so it was no surprise when a lion visited the woodcutter and asked for her hand.
To refuse the King of Beasts would have been a fatal mistake, so the woodcutter lent him his ear. And wouldn’t you know – the lion truly was in love, as much as a lion could love a lady.
Maybe it was because the woodcutter’s daughter was a wild spirit. She rarely wore shoes, climbed trees, and knew all the flowers’ names, but, as her father explained, the lion was a little too wild, even for her. She preferred suitors with smaller smiles and teeth that didn’t come to a point.
The lion blushed. This was the first time he’d ever felt self-conscious about his appearance.
Perhaps if you change a few things, she might reconsider the proposal, said the woodcutter.
Dejected but still hopeful, the lion went home and filed his teeth flat. He practiced his new, tame smile and then went back to the woodcutter’s house.
The teeth are better, but your nails are much too long – my daughter will be torn to shreds! Perhaps if you make your edges softer, she might reconsider the proposal, said the woodcutter.
Heartsick but optimistic, the lion returned home and filed down his claws. He wasn’t sure how he would hunt without nails or teeth, but he ignored his worries and went back to the woodcutter’s house.
The lion was so excited to finally embrace his bride, but when he showed up at the woodcutter’s door, there was no maiden in a white dress or feast in their honor—just a club-wielding father who chased him deep into the woods. The woodcutter was the person who taught his daughter about the earth and the trees, so of course, he knew the wildlands even better than she.
The other animals pointed at the lion running from the man and laughed when they saw his new smile and short nails. They wondered why someone as regal as the King of Beasts would want to change himself for a human.
But alas, the ones who question his motives have never given their heart to another. Because if they had, they would know: love tames even the wildest of beasts.
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This retelling was inspired by and adapted from the tale by Aesop’s Fables.
