THE LION AND OTHER BEASTS OF PREY 



219 



suprise of all, hidden amidst azaleas, you find a cottage with iron 

 bars in front, behind which paces a solitary lion. 



This is Goma, a present from the African king, Menelik, to his 

 brother king, Humbert of Italy. He is a young lion, about three 

 years old, very tall and handsome, but with a mane not yet fully 

 grown, and was brought to Italy as a cub, so that he has never 



HUNTING THE LIONS 



known liberty or companionship. He came with an Abyssinian 

 attendant, who shortly returned to his native land, and for whom is 

 now substituted an Italian peasant girl. vShe keeps his parlor and 

 bedroom clean, shutting him by an iron gate into the one or the 

 other the while, for no one has ventured into his cage during his 

 presence there, except once a stable boy, who put some fresh straw 

 under him when he was ill, and had no reason to repent it, for Goma 



