THE LAND OF FOOTPRINTS 



each, he begins to think there is not much in lion 

 shooting after all, and goes home proclaiming the 

 king of beasts a skulking coward. 



After all, on what grounds does he base this con- 

 clusion? In what way have circumstances been a 

 test of courage at all? The lion did not stand and 

 fight, to be sure; but why should he? What was 

 there in it for lions? Behind any action must a 

 motive exist. Where is the possible motive for any 

 lion to attack on sight ? He does not — except 

 in unusual cases — eat men; nothing has occurred to 

 make him angry. The obvious thing is to avoid 

 trouble, unless there is a good reason to seek it. In 

 that one evidences the lion's good sense, but not his 

 lack of courage. That quality has not been called 

 upon at all. 



But if the sportsman had done one of two or three 

 things, I am quite sure he would have had a taste of 

 our friend's mettle. If he had shot at and even 

 giazed the beast; if he had happened upon him 

 where an exit was not obvious; or if he had even foU 

 lowed the lion until the latter had become tired of the 

 annoyance J he would very soon have discovered that 

 Leo is not all good nature, and that once angered 

 his courage will take him in against any odds. 

 Furthermore, he may be astonished and dismayed to 

 discover that of a group of several lions, two or 



128 



