296 LION-HUNTING AND LIONS 



lion's rage, climbed up into a tree, and there sat as in a 

 sure castle of defence. At length the lion and the lioness 

 returned both home, and finding their little ones dead in 

 their own blood, according to natural affection fell both 

 exceeding sorrowful, to see them so slaughtered whom 

 they both loved. But smelling out by the foot the 

 murderer, followed with rage up and down until they 

 came to the tree whereinto the bear was ascended, and 

 seeing her, looked both of them gastly upon her, often- 

 times assaying to get into the tree, but all in vain, for 

 nature which adorned them with singular strength and 

 nimbleness, yet had not endued them with power of 

 climbing, so that the tree hindered their revenge, gave 

 unto them further occasion of mourning, and unto the 

 bear to rejoice at his own cruelty, and deride their sorrow. 

 ' Then,' continues Topsel, who writes in very long 

 sentences, ' the male forsook the female, leaving her to 

 watch the tree, and he like a mournful father for the loss 

 of his children, wandered up and down the mountain, 

 making great moan and sorrow, till at the last he saw a 

 carpenter hewing wood, who, seeing the lion coming 

 towards him, let his axe fall for fear. But the lion came 

 very lovingly towards him, fawning quietly upon his 

 breast with his forefeet, and licking his face with his 

 tongue ; which gentleness of the lion the man perceiving, 

 he was much astonished, and being more and more 

 embraced and fawned on by the lion, he followed him, 

 leaving his axe behind him which he had let fall, which 

 the lion perceiving went back, and made signs with his 

 foot to the carpenter that he should take it up. But the 

 lion perceiving that the man did not understand his 

 signs, he brought it himself in his mouth, and delivered 

 it unto him, and so led him into the cave where the young 

 whelps lay all imbrued in their own blood, and then led 

 him where the lioness did watch the bear. She, therefore, 

 seeing them both coming, as one that knew her husband's 

 purpose, did signify unto the man that he should consider 



