74 GEBABD, THE LION HUNT El! 



When we had walked half a mile or so we heard the 

 shouts of men and barking of dogs. We quickened our 

 pace and fell in with a troop of armed men leading a 

 number of dogs of all kinds. The lion had passed that 

 way. He had entered the settlement next to ours, had 

 scaled the enclosure where the flock was kept, and had 

 earned off a sheep. He had secured his dinner ; and 

 that was why he had not roared again. 



This was hardly the moment in which to attack him ; 

 lions do not like being disturbed at their meals. So I 

 begged the Arabs to follow up the track — always an easy 

 matter when a sheep is the victim — and I returned to my 

 tent. 



' But why is it easier to track a lion when he carries 

 off a sheep than when he takes some other animal ? ' 

 asked Dumas. 



Gerard smiled. ' That is another story,' said he, ' and 

 if you want to hear it, here it is : ' — 



One day a lion was talking to the Marabout Sidi- 

 Moussa. Now if the lion is the most powerful of beasts, 

 the Marabout is the most holy of dervishes. So the two 

 were conversing very much on an equality. 



' You are very strong,' said the Marabout to the lion. 



' Very,' replied the lion. 



' And what do you consider the measure of your 

 strength to be ? ' 



' My strength is as the strength of forty horses.' 



' Then you can seize a bullock, throw it over your 

 shoulder, and carry it off ? ' asked the Marabout. 



' By the aid of Allah, I can,' said the lion. 



' Or a horse, I suppose ? ' 



' By the aid of Allah, I can carry off a horse as easily 

 as a bullock.' 



' Or a wild boar ? ' 



' By the help of Allah, I should do with the wild boar 

 as with the horse.' 



'And a sheep ? ' 



