In a vast forest filled with the stories and feats of all that had taken place beneath its hallowed branches, ancient oaks whispered wisdom and the streams sang of old courage, ruled a mighty Stag, leader of a large herd of deer. 

His antlers towered like a crown, and his decisions had long guided the deer through drought and danger. But as seasons turned and his years had advanced in age, a shadow crept into Stag’s heart in the form of Doubt.

It was autumn and the herd were preparing to migrate to the fertile valleys, a scout returned with news. 
“The western path is shortest,” said the young buck, “but due to rock fall, the path has narrowed to a thin ridge across a deep ravine. The eastern path is much longer that winds through the woods and thickets around the mountain.”
The herd looked towards Stag, awaiting his choice.

Stag lowered his head, his mind clouded. “What if the ridge crumbles under the weight of the herd?” he contemplated. “And the woods and thickets are perfect hiding places for wolves and bears. Which is worse?”
He paced up and down, his hooves carving ruts in the earth. The herd, sensing his hesitation, grew restless.

“What do you choose?” urged the Buck, keen to travel to the higher valley’s grasses on the far side of the mountain. “We’ve trusted you before.” But Stag’s doubt only deepened.

He recalled a past winter when he’d led the herd through a storm, only to lose several young fawn to the cold. “What if I fail them again?” he thought. “What if the ridge collapses, and they blame me for taking the dangerous path ? And, the wolves have grown in number this year and may take many more of the herd to feed their own. If I take them in that direction, they will call me reckless!”

Instead of deciding, Stag turned to the herd. “What do you think we should do?” he asked, hoping their voices would lift the burden from him. But the deer bickered with their different preferences. Some wanted to take the high ridge for speed to lead them to fresh food, others preferred the easier, more sure footed, route through the woods.  

An old Hind scoffed, “The Stag should know better than to ask each of us who only have mind for their own needs !”
The young buck whispered, “But if he cannot decide the best route for us, how can we trust him to lead us?”
The herd’s faith wavered, their unity dividing like leaves in the wind.

Days passed by, and Stag’s indecision held them fast. He sent other scouts to confirm if anything had changed which would help his decision. But he could not overcome his ingrained doubt. “If I were to lead them over the ridge and I fall, they will need to turn back – but have none strong enough to take them through the woods and hold off the wolves !” – he pondered.

Each time he was pushed to choose, he blamed the Young Bucks for not finding alternatives or confirming the best path to take. He heard rumours that another group has traversed the ridge without incident and another that said the wolves had moved further north to find food by the river, rather than wait for the herds to pass by.  But he could not be sure and could not answer to the herd’s growing demands.

“If only one way was totally clear,” he muttered, “I would  lead without fear.”

Winter loomed, and food became scarce in the forest. The herd, hungry and divided, drifted apart, some risking the ridge alone to get to the valley, others seeking shelter in the eastern woods.
Stag, once proud, stood alone, his antlers grown heavy with deep regret. His doubt had not only stalled their journey, but shattered the trust that bound them together.

Moral: A leader’s doubt, unchecked, sows discord and stalls progress. To hesitate is normal, while weighing the choices, but to blame others for one’s indecision is to forfeit trust. A true leader weighs risks, chooses boldly, and bears the weight of the path ahead.