The Camel, the Hedgehog and the Lion
Once upon a time, a camel grazed near a river in a wild and lonely land. He was enormous in size and slow in his steps, but inside he carried a pride that knew no limits. One day, he came across a small hedgehog on the path and looked down at him from his great height: "What a pitiful creature! Just look at yourself — a tiny body covered in thorns! What use are you in this world?" The hedgehog answered calmly without even looking up: "And you, camel — what do you have besides your size and your even greater arrogance?" The camel turned away with a sneer and continued on his way. But the hedgehog did not forget.
A few days later, a hungry lion came prowling through the forest. He spotted the camel grazing alone and thought to himself: "Today is my lucky day." He crept closer and closer. When the camel sensed danger, he bolted — but his legs were stiff with fear and he could barely run. The lion roared: "Where do you think you're going, camel? There is no escape!" At that very moment, the hedgehog appeared from behind a rock and said to the lion: "Your Majesty, do not be hasty! I have heard that this camel is suffering from a terrible illness. I saw him stumbling and foaming at the mouth, crying out in pain just this morning. Look how he trembles even now! Do you really want to eat diseased meat?" The lion hesitated and stopped in his tracks. He looked at the camel, who was indeed trembling — though from fear, not sickness. The lion wrinkled his nose and walked away saying: "I want nothing to do with sick meat!"
When the lion had gone, the camel turned to the hedgehog with tearful eyes and said: "You saved my life, my friend! How can I ever repay you?" The hedgehog said simply: "You owe me nothing. Only remember next time that small does not mean worthless." The hedgehog disappeared between the stones, and the camel stood there for a long while, turning over in his mind a lesson he had never expected to receive from a creature that barely reached his ankle.
background-size: 300px;Moral: Pride blinds the eye, and the one you look down on today may be the one who saves you tomorrow.
Dictated in 1916 in Tanant, Ntifa, by Faddel ben Hadda.
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Adapted from Émile Laoust (1949) · Retold by Morocco Hykayat