This week, we’re considering the virtue of Justice.

Aesop tells the fable of The Lion’s Share:

A long time ago, the Lion, the Fox, the Jackal, and the Wolf agreed to go hunting together, sharing with each other whatever they found.

One day the Wolf ran down a Stag and immediately called his comrades to divide the spoil.

Without being asked, the Lion placed himself at the head of the feast to do the carving, and, with a great show of fairness, began to count the guests.

“One,” he said, counting on his claws, “that is myself the Lion. Two, that’s the Wolf, three, is the Jackal, and the Fox makes four.”

He then very carefully divided the Stag into four equal parts.

“I am King Lion,” he said, when he had finished, “so of course I get the first part. This next part falls to me because I am the strongest; and this is mine because I am the bravest.”

He now began to glare at the others very savagely. “If any of you have any claim to the part that is left,” he growled, stretching his claws meaningly, “now is the time to speak up.”

I just have a few questions for you: Did the Lion do what was just?  Why or why not?  If not, was it unjust only because the animals had an agreement to share, or was it unjust under any circumstance?  And should the Wolf had some higher claim to the Stag, since he hunted it down?  What about the Stag?  Does it matter whether killing the Stag was also just?  And how would you decide that?  And if the Wolf’s killing of the Stag was just, then what does that mean about the Lion taking the whole thing for himself? 

Everybody loves Justice—the hard part is figuring out what it is.  If you come up with a good answer, let me know.  In the meantime…

Have a wonderful day.