OUR FOUR-FOOTED NEIGHBORS. 337 



spaniel in the streets, and he was accordingly thrown into 

 the cage of the great lion. Immediately the little animal 

 trembled and shivered, and crouched, and threw itself on 

 its back, and put forth its tongue, and held up its paws, in 

 supplicatory attitudes, as an acknowledgment of superior 

 power, and praying for mercy. In the mean time the 

 lordly brute, instead of devouring it, beheld it with an eye 

 of philosophic inspection. lie turned it over with one 

 paw, and then turned it with the other ; smelled of it, and 

 seemed desirous of courting a further acquaintance. 



4. The keeper, on seeing this, brought a large mess of 

 his own family dinner ; but the lion kept aloof and refused 

 to eat, keeping his eye on the dog, and inviting him, as it 

 were, to be his taster. At length, the little animal's fears 

 being something abated, and his appetite quickened by the 

 smell of the victuals, he approached slowly, and, with trem- 

 bling, ventured to eat. The lion then advanced gently 

 and began to partake, and they finished their meal very 

 lovingly together. 



5. From this day the strictest friendship commenced be- 

 tween them — a friendship consisting of all possible affection 

 and tenderness on the part of the lion, and of the utmost 

 confidence and boldness on the part of the dog ; insomuch 

 that he would lay himself down to sleep within the fangs 

 and under the jaws of his terrible patron. A gentleman 

 who had lost the spaniel, and had advertised a reward of 

 two guineas to the finder, at length heard of the adventure, 

 and went to reclaim his dog. You see, sir, said the keeper, 

 it would be a great pity to part such loving friends ; bow- 

 ever, if you insist upon your property, you must even be 

 pleased to take him yourself ; it is a task that I would not 

 engage in for five hundred guineas. The gentleman rose 

 into great wrath, but finally chose to acquiesce rather than 

 have a personal dispute with the lion. 



6. As Mr. Felton had a curiosity to see the two friends 



