By insisting he accept their lies as real

By insisting he was never to his people tied

By dictating exactly what he might feel

By permitting bawdy joy but never pride

They believed a lion could be brought to heel

That a lion could from his courage be pried

That the lion himself would learn to kneel

That a lion would not care even if his line died

That the lion himself would accept such a deal

In the end it was only to themselves they had lied