The lion ate some of the porridge 1900

This illustration by William Wallace Denslow features the Cowardly Lion from "The Wizard of Oz" having a meal with his companions. Note the lion's posture, the fork in his hand, and the bib around his neck. The lion, a symbol of strength, is here domesticated, rendered harmless at the table. But even in this gentle representation, echoes of his wildness linger. Consider depictions of animalistic figures consuming food, from the wolves suckling Romulus and Remus, to the fearsome beasts in medieval tapestries devouring their prey, such imagery evokes primal instincts. Even the table setting – the communal meal – carries profound weight. It harkens back to ancient symposiums and gatherings, where food was shared alongside conversation and the forging of alliances. Through time, the image of the lion at the table has transformed, yet vestiges of its symbolic power still haunt our collective memory, reminding us of the untamed forces that lie beneath the surface of civilization.