Meaning
This proverb warns against harming, criticizing, or being ungrateful to those who help or support you. Whether it’s family, friends, employers, or mentors, disrespecting or turning against someone who provides assistance can lead to loss of trust, support, and opportunities. Gratitude and loyalty are key virtues.
Understanding the Idea
Respect and appreciate those who support you; harming or insulting them can have serious consequences.
A Beautiful and Relatable Moral Story
In a vast savanna under the golden African sun, there lived a young lion cub named Kito, orphaned after a fierce storm. Weak and starving, he wandered alone until he stumbled upon a wise old elephant named Mama Zara, the matriarch of a gentle herd. Mama Zara, seeing the cub’s plight, took pity on him. Though lions and elephants were natural rivals, she allowed Kito to travel with the herd, sharing water from hidden oases she knew and protecting him from predators with her massive strength. The herd’s fruits and shade became his sustenance, and under her guidance, Kito grew strong and healthy.
Years passed, and Kito matured into a powerful young lion. The herd continued to “feed” him in subtle ways—warning him of dangers and sharing resources during dry seasons. But as Kito’s pride swelled, he began to resent depending on the elephants. “Why should I follow these slow creatures?” he grumbled to himself. “I am a lion, king of beasts!” One day, when Mama Zara gently nudged him away from a poisoned waterhole she had detected, Kito lashed out in frustration, roaring and swiping at her trunk with his claws.
The herd was shocked. Mama Zara, hurt both physically and emotionally, trumpeted in sorrow. “Child, I fed you when you had nothing. Why bite the hand that saved you?” The elephants turned away, leaving Kito to fend for himself.
Alone once more, Kito soon faced the harsh realities of the savanna. Without the herd’s wisdom, he drank from tainted water and fell ill. Predators he once evaded now circled him, and hunger gnawed at his belly during scarce times. Weakened and regretful, Kito sought out the herd again, approaching Mama Zara with bowed head. “Forgive me,” he pleaded. “I was foolish and ungrateful.”
Mama Zara, ever compassionate, forgave him but with a lesson: “We help because it is right, but remember—never bite the hand that feeds you.” From then on, Kito protected the herd in return, using his strength to ward off threats, creating a bond of mutual respect that enriched the entire savanna.
The animals far and wide shared this tale, reminding one another of the value of gratitude.
Moral: Appreciate and respect your supporters; harming them leads to regret and lost opportunities.
