A vain lion wanted to find out why the other animals were not as beautiful as he.

First he asked a giraffe.

The giraffe did not know.

Next, the lion asked a bear.

The bear had no answer.

Then the lion asked a hippopotamus and again got no answer.

Finally, the lion met a mouse.

He asked the mouse,

“Tell me, why aren’t you as big, as strong, and as beautiful as I am?”

The mouse looked up at the lion and said,

“Well, I have been sick.”