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When the lion had eaten its fill, and the jackals had…

“When the lion had eaten its fill, and the jackals had taken their share, the ants came along and finished up the meat from the bones of the haughty stag.” quote by Idries Shah
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“When the lion had eaten its fill, and the jackals had taken their share, the ants came along and finished up the meat from the bones of the haughty stag.”

Idries Shah

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A fable illustrating that after the powerful have taken their share, the humble clean up the remnants, showing the cyclical nature of power and humility.

In simple terms: After the strong feast, the humble finish the leftovers.

Key Takeaway

Even the lowly have roles after the mighty.

Themes

power humility cycle justice resourcefulness

Mood

thoughtful reflective

Type

folklore allegorical

When to use this quote

  • resource management
  • community building
  • social equity

Key Concepts

fable social hierarchy redistribution

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does the story say about power dynamics?
  • How can humility be valued after excess?
A Different Perspective

May overlook the moral of greed.

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