[Illustration:  The lion at home From a Painting by Rosa Bonheur]

Lion stories.

A large lion was once to be seen in a cage in London.  He was so big and fierce that many persons came to have a peep at him.

One day his keeper opened the cage door and put in a little black dog.  Everybody wondered what the lion would do.  As for the little dog, his heart beat fast with fright and he cowered against the side of the cage.

The lion looked down at the small, shrinking form, but he did not growl or roar.  Perhaps he was lonely and glad to have a companion.  In some way he must have told the dog that he need not be afraid, for presently the little fellow put out his tongue and lapped his huge friend on the lips.

After that they were very good friends, and the lion often allowed the little dog to tease him and pull his mane.  When they were fed, the lion stood back like a true gentleman, and let the dog have his dinner first.  He seemed to know that because he was so strong, he must be gentle to the weak and helpless.

Gerard, the great lion-tamer, once brought home from Africa a baby lion.  He named it Hubert and for a time it was his pet and playmate.

When it grew large, Gerard sent it to Paris.  The next year he went to France and visited his pet.  The lion was in a cage, and when he saw his master, he began to quiver with excitement.

Gerard put his hand between the bars, and Hubert snuffed it eagerly.

“Hubert!” said the lion-tamer.  “My old soldier!”

With a furious bound the lion sprang upon the bars.  He stood close against the grating and filled the building with his roars of joy.  His enormous tongue scraped his master’s hand, while with his paws he vainly tried to caress him.

After a time he grew more quiet, but whenever Gerard turned to leave him, there were the same heart-breaking moans and roars.

Daily, Gerard spent hours in the same cage with his pet, and the two were very happy together.

Several years ago a lion and a lioness were in the menagerie at Paris.  Their keeper, Mr. Felix, was taken ill one day, and could no longer attend to them.  The duty of feeding them and keeping the cage clean fell upon a stranger to whom both lion and lioness took a strong dislike.  The lion would sit, for hours, at the end of his cage, with bristling mane and flaming eyes.  He refused all food from the hands of the new keeper and roared at him so furiously that no one dared to go near the cage.

Days went on and it was evident that something must be done or the lion would become seriously ill.  Fortunately, Mr. Felix was getting well, and one morning, intending to surprise the lions, he crept softly to the cage and showed his face between the bars.  In an instant the lion sprang forward, patting the man’s arm with his great paws and showing the greatest delight.  The lioness also ran to him, but the lion drove her back and seemed unwilling that Felix should show her any favor.  Fearing that they might quarrel, the keeper entered the cage and caressed them by turns.  The huge beasts obeyed him promptly as if eager to show how much they loved him, and peace and quiet were thus restored.