The question was a popular one and most candidates were able to discuss the poem as a satire. The responses also lacked textual references.
This question demands:

• Identification of the theme of good leadership.
• Explanation of satire.

• Behaviour of the pack: those animals that constitute the pack also have common weaknesses; they do not have the strength of leadership. They are their leaders’ natural prey in some cases and are all in need of leadership as pointed out in the poem.
• Behaviour of the presumed leaders: some, such as the lion and the hyena are predators and would prey upon their victims. Some would be dictators and lord it over others such as the elephant and the hyena, both of whom claim the right to rule. Some would offer visionless leadership which leaves their followers way behind and others are simply undisciplined
• The need for a balanced leadership: the satire is in the fact that all those who offer themselves for leadership fall short of the ideal. The ideal leadership is espoused by the forest sage

Candidates’ performance in the question was good.