Androcles, the Lion, and the Space for Growth
An old fable with modern insight
There is a fable credited to the Greek storyteller . It goes like this:
“One day, in a peaceful town, the roars of a lion echoed in the streets. The frightened citizens built fences, laid out traps, and armed themselves to combat the ferocious beast.
Around the same time, a slave named Androcles ran away from his master and retreated into the mountains. As night fell and his body wearied, he sought shelter in a cave. As he set to rest, he heard purring. Suddenly, a growling lion leaped toward him. Androcles, in a rush of fear, turned to flee. But realizing the lion did not chase him, he turned around to check his senses. The lion’s paw was swollen and bleeding: a thorn anchored in it. Androcles slowly pulled it out and patched the wound. The lion calmed down and licked his mender with gratitude.
A few months later, Androcles was caught and brought to judgment by the emperor. He was sentenced to death. At dawn, the emperor and Rome’s patricians gathered around the lion’s pit to witness the execution. Androcles trembled as they opened the gate to what might as well be the gate to the underworld.
As fortune would have it, the feline was Androcles old friend. Instead of devouring him, the lion bounced on him with affection. The emperor, astonished by the scene, pardoned the condemned Androcles and set the lion free. The two friends spent their lives together, overjoyed with their bestowed freedom.”
The Practice of Compassion
I cherish this story because it conveys in a soft light that we are all children, all lost and afraid, all wish to love and be loved. It reflects the psychological benefits of compassion and kindness-—how they can set us free.
We need to embody the same patience that we have for children. When a mother spends her entire morning cooking her kid’s favorite meal, only for the child to hurl it onto the floor in a tantrum, she does not lash out—she assumes he is tired, thirsty, or teething. It would be absurd to hold the child accountable for his behavior. Yet, because the person in front of us is taller and is familiar with the rules of grammar, we assume he means harm—and we respond with the same force. Yet, as we can tell from our own experience, misbehavior rarely stems from spite: but from ache. We should search for the thorn and respond with charity. Maybe they have a hard time at work or hit a rough patch in their relationship.
Acting in such a manner is the emission of love onto ourselves, onto others, and onto the world. When we instinctively assume hurt, we activate past wounds and cage us in pain. It becomes a war: us against them, with the objective of protection through combat. But when we look for the thorn, we dab the wounds with a pad of love and carve a space for growth, healing, and the manifestation of meaning out of chaos.
Each pain holds a cue for our potential selves. Seeing the pain in the transgression removes the and allows growth to enter.
Originally published at on July 30, 2023.
