The Tawny, Scrawny Lion

Little Golden Books, 1952.  Written by Kathryn Jackson and with illustrations by the immortal Gustaf Tenggren.  And that should be an apple in the lion's mouth, the reason why will soon be very apparent.

A fat little rabbit with 9 brothers and sisters teaches a lion to eat carrot stew instead of other animals.

This concern for life only extends to mammals.  The oddly oriental appearing bunny knows that no stew is complete without animal proteins!  Tenggren lived in Maine and was also Swedish, I bet he thought nothing of eating smoked herrings with his morning knäckebröd and coffee.

 

For you see, the lion had to exercise so much he was just skin and bones.  The animals he ran after, of course, died so they didn't lose weight.  Life just ain't far sometimes.

 

 So all the animals got together and convinced the obviously slow witted rabbit to teach the lion not to eat them.  With any luck at all the lion would eat the rabbit and choke to death on him, a win/win if there ever was one.  The other animals are sick of the bunny and his anthropomorphic ways, and there are 9 more at home just like him. They think the rabbit is very stupid, but they are all of them...deceived.

The advanced Tai Chi posture the bunny displays is known as Balancing The Moon, and is being held by him as a gesture of mockery and contempt.  The zebra, bear and monkey are starting to fly on some really decent Owlsley Purple and are talking to someone only they can see.

 Mission accomplished!  The fat, satiated lion loves the fish and carrot stew and has become a father figure to the oddly dressed rabbit siblings.

By a striking coincidence, just as the lion is wondering how carrot stew might taste when made with rabbit, the bunnies who command the secrets of fire and sewing consider how carrot stew might taste made with lion.  Soon the carnivorous rabbit family will make their next dish for their new friend from certain mushrooms and toadstools only they know the properties of.  Um-mmm, now that's cooking.

With the lion all gone, it is time to bring someone new home for supper!

 

Sawney Bean has nothing on us.

(The  Sawney Bean story is a pack of lies but there is no such thing as bipedal rabbits who cook and wear clothing neither, so deal with it.  Notice I did not name this post The Tawny, Scrawny, Sawneyed Lion although such sparkling wit just begs to be on display.  It is a sad but true fact that genius is rarely recognized in an artist's lifetime).