280 THE LION KILLER. 



that bore you," or "May God make your wife fruitful and 

 happy." 



While the men were examining the lion, the women 

 gathered around me, and asked a hundred questions at once, 

 about my country, my mother, and family. There were more 

 than fifty crowding around me, the same women, who a month 

 before would have fled from me as from a noxious beast, 

 whose very appearance was repulsive. Now they talked, and 

 wondered, and chatted with a mixture of familiarity and 

 respect, that they would not have shown even to one of their 

 own countrymen. 



The mothers lifted up their children in their arms, that 

 they might touch me and kiss me, saying, " Don't be afraid, 

 he only harms the lion, he is our friend and our brother. 



While the young girls, more timid at my presence, were 

 whispering among themselves, their mothers never ceased ask- 

 ing me questions, principally about my mother. They never 

 thought, dear souls, of all their demands and praises, there 

 was but one that touched my heart, and flattered me to 

 tears. 



There were there around me beautiful faces, that were rarely 

 seen unveiled, above all, to my countrymen. There were 

 there hundreds of brave men, warriors all, crowding around, 

 and one after the other lauding my deeds with honest praise, 

 that would have exalted more modest souls than mine. Yet 

 with all that, I can say it with all sincerity, there were no 

 voices so sweet as those that named my mother's name, 

 that asked me her age, and when I had left her, if I ever 

 heard from her now when far away ; if I wanted to see her, 

 and if she was ever coming in their country, and that termi- 

 nated their questions by invoking a thousand blessings on 

 her honored head. 



The death of the lion had truly been a blessing, since it 

 summoned up to my mind such pleasant remembrances of a 



