QUADRUPEDS. 
15 
beasts often amuse themselves by playing with the 
Lion, and sometimes they punish him for disobedience. 
He quietly suffers this, although a single stroke of 
his paw would kill the strongest man. 
7. The following example, among many which 
have been related, is strikingly illustrative of the 
Lion’s generosity, though there may be some doubt of 
its exact truth. Androcles, a Roman slave, in con- 
sequence of ill-treatment from his master, the pro- 
consul of Africa, fled into a desert, where, hungry 
and fatigued, he entered a cave to rest himself. 
8. Androcles had not been long in this situation 
before a very large Lion entered the cave, and ap- 
proached him. Seeing no way of escape, he was 
exceedingly terrified, and expected nothing less than 
instant death. 
9. The Lion advanced, uttering a moaning sound, 
as if he asked assistance, and extended to the slave 
a bloody foot. Androcles perceived that it was 
pierced with a thorn, and with a trembling hand he 
drew it out. The Lion, finding his pain allayed, 
caressed his benefactor, and slept beside him. 
10. When the Lion went out, he brought back a 
portion of the prey which he had taken, and delivered 
it to Androcles. Thus they became perfectly fa- 
miliar, partaking together of the meals which the 
Lion had provided, and they continued to live in this 
manner for three years. 
11. At the end of this time, the slave, supposing 
that his master had left Africa, and that he was him- 
self probably forgotten, took an opportunity, when the 
Lion was absent, to leave the den, and escape to the 
Roman colony. But he was recognised, apprehend- 
How do the keepers of wild beasts amuse themselves ? 
What example is strikingly illustrative of the Lion’s generosity ? 
