Know Your Enemies

In war it is very important to have scouts. These are soldiers or warriors that go ahead of the normal troops, to get an idea of what the enemy has waiting for their army. The scouts job is to gather information about the enemy and bring it back to their leaders so that they could more effectively deal with future battles. Do you have scouts in the world. I promise after this folktale you will be trying to get some.

We are looking at the folktale (fable) called “The Bowman & the Lion” and the lesson that I learned pretty much sticks with the moral of this story “be on guard against men that can strike from a distance”. This is very important in all aspects of our lives. Many of us are being hit by the arrows of enemies that we didn’t even know we had.

These arrows have been set on autopilot, and are triggered by us trying to get in spaces that were not designed for us. We can see these arrows flying in business, certain fields of work, in real estate, in laws, etc.. The bowman is simply a gatekeeper that is placed to maintain a system, and here in America when step onto the trap points the arrows begin to fly. We have to be prepared and not ignorant of what we are dealing with. This is why history is important for us to look at. We are able to see the arrows and how to avoid or simply shield ourselves from them.

In this story the lion fled, but in our case we no longer can flee, our people have been backed up into a space to where no longer is their a place to hide. We have to be aware and know that the enemy so that we can get close enough to tear them to pieces. The fact of the matter is that a bowmans key advantage on the lion is surprise and distance. You eliminate the two and the bowman is nothing but prey.

Another issue that stuck out to me in this folktale was the fox. Now in my conversations about this folktale I ran into many views, but many lined up to the idea that the fox was up to no good. Have you ever had someone in your life that was an instigator, and would love you to get tore up for their entertainment and possible their gain. This is what the fox demonstrated for me but that is my idea, please feel free and share your lesson from this folktale:

“A very skillful bowman went to the mountains in search of game, but all the beasts of the forest fled at his approach. The Lion alone challenged him to combat. The Bowman immediately shot out an arrow and said to the Lion: “I send thee my messenger, that from him thou mayest learn what I myself shall be when I assail thee.” The wounded Lion rushed away in great fear, and when a Fox who had seen it all happen told him to be of good courage and not to back off at the first attack he replied: “You counsel me in vain; for if he sends so fearful a messenger, how shall I abide the attack of the man himself?”

Also I want to stress another lesson that I got from this story. The idea that the man was as powerful as his messenger. I often have run into people whose arrows (words) were brutal but their actions were very weak. Oftentimes we won’t move ourselves past obstacles out of fear of what others say or from minor (although getting shot in the side like the lion is not minor) encounters that we have had. Oftentimes people nor situations often live up to what we expect. In order for us to live ‘The Best life”, sometimes we may have to practice boldness to get and even more importantly hold on to what we have.

Listen to "FFGF- The Bowman & The Lion" on Spreaker.