The Fox and the Lion in the Snare

The Fox and the Lion in the Snare. There was a lion who had gotten caught in a snare. With all his strength he tried to snap the ropes but the more he pulled at the snare, the more tightly he was bound. A fox happened to be passing that same way and when she saw what had happened she said to the lion, "My king, you will not escape from there by force, but by ingenuity. Instead of tugging at the snare, you need to let go so it can loosen up." When the lion did what the fox advised, he was released from the snare which had bound him and thus escaped, free once again.
Moral. The story shows that mental ingenuity is far superior to physical strength.

Vulpes et Leo Irretitus. Leo, comprehensus laqueo, totis viribus vincula dirumpere conabatur; quo autem maiori conatu laqueum trahebat, eo arctius detinebatur. Vulpes, illac iter habens, cum hoc esset intuita, "Non viribus" inquit "mi rex, istinc evades, sed ingenio. Relaxandus enim laqueus et dissolvendus, non trahendus est." Quod cum Leo fecisset, statim soluto laqueo quo erat astrictus, liber evasit.
Morale. Fabula indicat ingenium viribus longe esse praestantius.

Notes. This is Abstemius 170. I really love this little fable about the paradoxical wisdom of "letting go," a lesson which the lion definitely needs to learn! The more famous version of the lion in the snare is about how a little mouse frees the lion, Perry 150, which teaches a different kind of paradox, how a big creature can be saved by a little one.