The Lion and the Unicorn (Stripes Europe)
A very large lion shakes the last of winter’s snow out of his thick golden mane and steps into Spring. A unicorn, not too far away, stomps the last glaze of ice from the lake and takes a long refreshing drink, the dew on her horn shimmering in the morning light.
Across the lake, silver specks catch the lion’s eye. It’s been a while since I’ve stretched these legs, he thinks, perhaps I’ll go see what’s over there.
The unicorn glances up and across the lake where she sees flecks of gold nearly as bright as the sun. Hmm, she thinks, I wonder if it’s a sign or the horn of another unicorn. Perhaps I’ll go over there and check it out. The quickest way will be across the lake, the ice should hold.
The lion begins his walk, but quickly stops. What if it disappears before I make it around the lake? The ice is still thick enough, I’ll just pad across.
So, both the unicorn and the lion set out across the lake with the sun shining brightly along the horizon.
Are the silver specks getting closer to me? the lion wonders. Ah, it appears a creature is walking towards me.
The golden flecks are dancing towards me! thinks the unicorn. No, wait. I think it’s another creature.
The two meet in the middle, shocked at what they see.
“You!” says the unicorn.
“It appears we meet again,” says the lion.
They turn their attention below them, where at the bottom of the lake is a bejeweled crown.
“What color do you see?” asks the unicorn.
The lion chuffs, “Why it’s King Edward’s crown: royal purple, adorned with amethyst, rubies and emeralds of course. Do you still not see it, Unicorn?”
The unicorn dips her horn. “How is that what you see Lion? Clearly, it’s the royal red crown of Scotland adorned with pearls and oakleaves.” She raises her horn through the air like a prized sword.
“It seems after all these ages we still cannot agree. When the sun is at the highest point in the sky we’ll begin again,” declares the lion.
“At least we can agree on that,” states the unicorn.
The two wait and watch. The ice beneath them hisses and creaks ready to release its grip on the lake.
“NOW!” The lion roars as the sun hovers above a mountain peak.
The unicorn whinnies and both bolt in opposite directions in a race to see who can encompass the earth, the moon and the stars first.
The unicorn is ahead as she takes a great leap from the Cliffs of Moher and follows the path of the constellation Monoceros, dust from her horn making each star shine brighter.
The lion bounds mightily from the White cliffs of Dover and steals the lead as he pounces from the nose of the constellation Leo and circles the moon.
It is now the last day of spring, and the sun rises from the east with the summer solstice. The unicorn gallops with all her might down the hills and through the forest from the north, leaving bright purple thistles in her wake. The lion leaps his way through the forest from the south, summer flowers sprouting each time his paws touch the earth.
The unicorn splashes into the water braying as she hoofs her way to the center. The lion pounces into the lake and dives straight down.
In one solid motion he resurfaces with the crown. He walks to shore and shakes off the water. The sun is full and bright, his mane dries instantly and is fuller and more golden than before.
The unicorn trots out of the water. “You’ve bested me again, old friend.” She bows her head and with her silver horn, places the crown atop the lion’s mane.
The lion bows his head in thanks, “Until next year, friend,” and lets out a roar to announce that it is Summer.
