THE KING OF THE TROPICAL WILDS. 



25 



he advances toward the monster brandishing his sword or 

 flourishing his rifle high in the air, and, taking good care 

 not to strike or shoot, contents himself with pouring forth 

 a torrent of abuse : 



6. " ' Oh thou mean-spirited thief ! ' he says, c thou 

 pitiful waylayer ! thou son of one that never ventured to 

 say no ! Think'st thou that I fear thee ? Knowest thou 

 whose son I am ? Arise and let me pass ! ' The lion 

 waits till the man approaches quite near him, then he re- 

 tires, but soon stretches himself once more across the path ; 

 and thus by many repeated trials puts the courage of 

 the wanderer to the test. 



All the time the move- 

 ments of the lion are at- 

 tended with a dreadful 

 noise. He breaks num- 

 berless branches with 

 his tail; he roars, he 

 growls. Like the cat 

 with the mouse, he plays 

 with the object of his 



, . J . Teeth of the Lion. 



attacks, keeping him 



perpetually suspended between hope and fear. 



7. "If the man engaged in this combat keeps up his 

 courage, if, as the Arabs say, < he holds fast his soul,' then 



the brute at last quits 

 him and seeks some 

 other prey ; but if the 

 lion perceives that he 

 has to do with an op- 

 ponent whose courage 

 falters, whose voice 

 trembles, who does 

 Uon's Claw sheathed. not venture a threat, 



