Where Does The Saying "The Lion's Share"� Come From?

The lion, the wolf, the fox and the jackal all agreed to go hunting together. They soon managed to catch a large stag. The lion ordered the others to cut the stag into quarters, which they did, thinking that each would receive one quarter. However, when the stag was quartered, the lion announced, "The first quarter is mine, because my name is lion and I am the king of the beasts. The second quarter is mine, because I am the judge in this case. The third quarter is mine because of my share in the chase. As for the fourth, anyone who likes can dispute it with me." With these words he put a paw on the fourth quarter. The other animals slunk away, muttering, "You may share the labours of the rich, but they will keep the spoils." We still use the phrase "the lion's share" to mean the best or largest part.