Pagina 53 de 274

A Slave ran away from his master, by whom he had been most

cruelly treated, and, in order to avoid capture, betook himself

into the desert. As he wandered about in search of food and

shelter, he came to a cave, which he entered and found to be

unoccupied. Really, however, it was a Lion's den, and almost

immediately, to the horror of the wretched fugitive, the Lion

himself appeared. The man gave himself up for lost: but, to his

utter astonishment, the Lion, instead of springing upon him and

devouring him, came and fawned upon him, at the same time whining

and lifting up his paw. Observing it to be much swollen and

inflamed, he examined it and found a large thorn embedded in the

ball of the foot. He accordingly removed it and dressed the wound

as well as he could: and in course of time it healed up

completely. The Lion's gratitude was unbounded; he looked upon

the man as his friend, and they shared the cave for some time

together.