Daniel in the Lion's Den

**Daniel in the Lion's Den** is a story told in the Adventures from the Book of Virtues episode Faith. It is based on the Biblical story of the same name.

## Plot

Daniel was a Jew who lived long, long ago, and that his homeland of Judah had been conquered and so was living in exile in a land then called Babylon. When King Darius and the Persians conquered Babylon, the king chose Daniel, a man of great faith, as one of three men to oversee the whole kingdom. However, one day, two men named Memukken and Tarbonah have been brought before King Darius, who lets them know that he is promoting Daniel over them, and that Daniel will be second only to him in the entire realm. Tarbonah objects, saying that Daniel is an old man and that the job will be too much for him, which Memukken agrees with, reasoning that the king needs someone younger. King Darius firmly lets them know that he needs someone he can trust, with Daniel letting King Darius know that he will do his best and that he will pray to God for guidance. King Darius then lets the matter be settled as he writes a contract for Daniel, while Memukken and Tarbonah leave the room bitterly while expressing displeasure at Daniel looking over their shoulders because he's too honest, as well as the possibility that if he catches them skimming taxes, then he'll report them as traitors, dreading the punishment for that. Because of that, they think of ways to get rid of Daniel, while surmising that he must have something they can use against him. However, a young man named Nathaniel has been hiding while having overheard everything, as he quietly tells himself that he must warn his friend Daniel.

Nathaniel tells Daniel that he fears for him because Memukken and Tarbonah will do anything to destroy him, though Daniel tells Nathaniel not to fear. However, unknown to Daniel and Nathaniel, Memukken and Tarbonah have been hiding on the roof of the house, while Memukken lets Tarbonah know that they'll wait until Daniel and Nathaniel leave, and then they'll search the house, and that they're bound to find some evidence of wrongdoing. Inside the house, Nathaniel tells Daniel that he must strike first and to find a way to get rid of Memukken and Tarbonah before they get rid of him, but Daniel gently tells Nathaniel that he must do what's right and trust God to take care of him. Nathaniel doesn't believe that, because of what happened to Jerusalem, also pointing out that the city of their fathers lies in ruins and a lot of them are in exile because of that, yet Daniel still faces Jerusalem and prays three times a day. Daniel assures Nathaniel that they must have faith, though Nathaniel states that he gave up on faith long ago before realizing that Daniel will never stop praying, before he leaves. Daniel then prays to God, while Memukken and Tarbonah have still been watching, before the two come up with an idea on how to get rid of Daniel, since they don't need to search his house and surmising that his prayer will be his undoing. Soon, Memukken and Tarbonah have meet with King Darius, while Memukken hails King Darius for being greater than all men and Gods. King Darius is surprised when given this title, but he likes it all the same, before Tarbonah lets King Darius know that all his top officials agree, so they have proposed a new law, which is that for the next thirty days, no one is to pray to anyone else except King Darius, because if they disobey this new law, they will be punished as traitors and thrown into the lions' den. Nathaniel, who has been listening in on them, becomes worried for Daniel's wellbeing.

King Darius agrees while stating that no one should place any God above him so he shall sign the law at once. The next day, Memukken and Tarbonah approach Daniel's house, at the same time that Daniel comes to the window and starts to pray, only for Nathaniel to pull him away from the window before showing him the new law appointed by King Darius. Daniel lets Nathaniel know that he will pray to God as he has always done, though Nathaniel insists that Memukken and Tarbonah are behind this and that the minute Daniel will pray, they'll arrest him and then it'll be the lions' den, because once the king makes a law, even he cannot change it, so it's a choice between Daniel's faith or his life. Daniel states that his faith is his life and that his life is in the hands of one far greater than King Darius, before he goes to the window and prays again. This time, Memukken and Tarbonah call for the guards to come and arrest Daniel, as they break into the house and seize Daniel before taking him away. Once Daniel has been brought before King Darius, Memukken lets him know that Daniel has been praying to God instead of to the king, so must be a traitor to the king. King Darius asks Daniel if this is true, which Daniel confirms, but he insists that he's no traitor, reiterating that he would ask God's help in serving the king well. King Darius tries to appeal for Daniel's case, but Memukken and Tarbonah insist that Daniel broke the law and that it cannot be changed, so he must be thrown to the lions because of that.

Soon, Daniel has been brought to the lions' den, while King Darius apologizes to Daniel, but admits that he can do nothing and that the law must stand, though he does state that maybe Daniel's God can save him while Daniel is certain that his faith will see him through. Of course, Memukken then tosses a piece of meat into the lions' den, which the lions catch. Nathaniel, worried for Daniel, comes up to him and gives him a hug, before stepping back, just as Daniel gets tossed into the lions' den, before the lions start to surround him. The entrance is then sealed up with a boulder, which has been anchored by a rope held down by two mounds of dirt, which King Darius presses with his fist. Tarbonah states that the king has sealed Daniel's fate and that no one may disturb the stone until daybreak, while Memukken adds that he hopes that the lions enjoy their dinner. Later that night, King Darius is sitting glumly at the table, very worried about Daniel, because when he thinks of Daniel with the lions, food makes him choke, before berating Memukken and Tarbonah for suggesting that law in the first place, before demanding for them to leave. Once Memukken and Tarbonah have left, King Darius is left alone as he falls asleep, before having a dream where he is surrounded by four lions that menacingly approach him. As the lions pounce, they suddenly turn into likenesses of Daniel, which prompts King Darius to wake up. After waking up, King Darius realizes that he was foolish to trust Memukken and Tarbonah and that they tricked him with their flattery, and is worried that Daniel is now lost, unless something happened.

The next morning, Memukken and Tarbonah have been sneaking around the area of the lions' den, until they run into each other. Memukken angrily asks Tarbonah what he's doing, not believing that Daniel might have actually survived, but Tarbonah doesn't think that, believing that Daniel's faith is nonsense, before claiming that he was just out for a walk. Tarbonah then immediately accuses Memukken for being near the lions' den, while Memukken claims that the early morning air clears his head. Of course, the two then start to argue over which one of them will get Daniel's job, only to be interrupted when King Darius and his guards start to approach, before the two run off and hide. Once the stone has been removed, King Darius is surprised yet happy upon seeing that Daniel is still alive, while the lions are around him, before Daniel confirms that he is alive, because he kept faith with his God and an angel protected him. Soon, Daniel is able to climb out of the lion's den with the use of a rope lowered down to him, thanks to the guards, just as Nathaniel runs up to the den and is surprised to see Daniel alive. Memukken and Tarbonah find this to be impossible, before they try to leave. However, King Darius then calls for the guards to seize Memukken and Tarbonah, and once the two have been brought before King Darius, he calls them traitors for wanting Daniel out of the way. Memukken and Tarbonah immediately start blaming each other whose idea it was, but it doesn't appeal them to King Darius, as he orders for Memukken and Tarbonah to be taken away and for them to be paid for their treachery, while he shall proclaim the greatness of Daniel's God throughout his kingdom. Later, Daniel lets Nathaniel know that he has much to be thankful for, because his faith saved him from the lions and because of what happened, King Darius found faith, while Nathaniel adds that he found faith as well.

## Errors

* When Memukken is letting King Darius know that they caught Daniel praying to God instead of to him, he says it in Tarbonah's voice instead of his own.

## Characters

* Daniel
* King Darius
* Nathaniel