Slave And The Lion
A slave named
Androcles once escaped from his master and fled to the forest.
As he was
wandering about there he came upon a lion lying down moaning and groaning.
At
first he turned to flee, but finding that the lion did not pursue him, he
turned back and
went up to him. As he came near, the lion put out his paw,
which was all swollen and bleeding,
and Androcles found that a huge thorn had
got into it, and was causing all the pain. He pulled
out the thorn and bound up
the paw of the lion, who was soon able to rise and lick the hand of
Androcles
like a dog. Then the lion took Androcles to his cave, and every day used to
bring him
meat from which to live.
But shortly
afterwards both Androcles and the lion were captured, and the slave was
sentenced to
be thrown to the lion, after the latter had been kept without food
for several days. The Emperor and
ll his Court came to see the spectacle, and
Androcles was led out into the middle of the arena. Soon
the lion was let loose
from his den, and rushed bounding and roaring towards his victim. But as soon
as he came near to Androcles he recognised his friend, and fawned upon him, and
licked his hands
like a friendly dog. The Emperor, surprised at this, summoned
Androcles to him, who told him the
whole story. Whereupon the slave was
pardoned and freed, and the lion let loose to his native forest.
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