68 GERABD, THE LION HUNTEB 



A'issa bent down her face, and the lion lightly brushed 

 her lips with his. 



Then he made a gesture of farewell, and sat down to 

 watch till she should have reached her father's house in 

 safety. 



On her way there A'issa turned two or three times, 

 and each time she saw the lion on the same spot. At 

 length she reached the tent. 



' Ah ! there you are ! ' cried her father ; ' I have been 

 very uneasy.' The girl smiled. ' I was afraid you might 

 have met with some unlucky adventure.' She smiled 

 still more. ' But here you are, and I see I have been 

 mistaken.' 



' So you have, father,' said she : ' for, instead of an 

 unlucky adventure, 1 have had a very lucky one.' 



' And what was that ? ' asked he. 



' I met a lion ! ' 



At these words, seldom as Arabs show their feelings, 

 Aissa's father turned pale. 



' A lion ! ' he cried, ' and he has not devoured you ? ' 



' On the contrary, he paid me many compliments 

 on my beauty, offered to see me home, and escorted me 

 back.' 



The Arab thought his daughter must be taking leave 

 of her senses. ' Impossible,' said he. 



' How, impossible ? ' 



The father shook his head. ' Do you wish to make 

 me believe that a lion is capable of such attentions ? ' 



A'issa smiled again. ' Do you wish to be convinced ? ' 

 asked she. 



' Yes ; but how ? ' 



' Come to the door of the tent and you will see him, 

 either seated where I left him, or returning to the forest.' 



' Wait till I get my gun,' said the father rising. 



' What do you want a gun for ? ' asked the girl proudly ; 

 ' are you not with me ? ' 



And drawing her father by his burnous, she led him 



