some mischief by pawing and playing with people in his frolicsome moods.  Having griped a man one day a little too hard, I ordered him to be shot, for fear of myself incurring the guilt of what might happen.  On this a friend, who happened to be then at dinner with me, begged him as a present.  How he came here, I know not.’  The Grand Duke of Tuscany, on hearing his story, said it was the very same person who had presented him with the lion.”

“Oh!  Uncle Thomas:  I should have been terribly afraid to have ventured into the lion’s den!”

“I dare say you would, John, and so should I. But some stories are recorded of the gentleness of the lion, as almost to justify such acts of what would otherwise appear fool-hardiness.

“Part of a ship’s crew being sent ashore on the coast of India for the purpose of cutting wood, the curiosity of one of the men having led him to stray to a considerable distance from his companions, he was much alarmed by the appearance of a large lioness, who made towards him; but, on her coming up, his fear was allayed, by her lying down at his feet, and looking very earnestly, first in his face, and then at a tree some little distance off.  After repeating these looks several times, she arose, and proceeded towards the tree, looking back, as if she wished the sailor to follow her.  At length he ventured, and, coming to the tree, perceived a huge baboon, with two young cubs in her arms, which he immediately supposed to be those of the lioness’, as she crouched down like a cat, and seemed to eye them very stedfastly.  The man being afraid to ascend the tree, decided on cutting it down, and having his axe with him, he set actively to work, when the lioness seemed most attentive to what he was doing.  When the tree fell, she pounced upon the baboon, and, after tearing her in pieces, she turned round, and licked the cubs for some time.  She then returned to the sailor, and fawned round him, rubbing her head against him in great fondness, and in token of her gratitude for the service done her.  After this, she carried the cubs away one by one, and the sailor rejoined his companions, much pleased with the adventure.

[Illustration:  The lioness and the baboon—­Page 117.]

“Another author tells such a graphic story of a lion’s entertaining a hunter, that I must let you hear it also, though I must say that I think he has rather overstrained it.

“A hunter on one occasion having gone in search of a lion, and having penetrated a considerable distance into a forest, happened to meet with two whelps of a lion that came to caress him.  The hunter stopped with the little animals, and waiting for the coming of the sire or the dam, took out his breakfast, and gave them a part.  The lioness arrived, unperceived by the huntsman, so that he had not time, or perhaps wanted the courage, to take his gun.  After having for some time looked at the man who was thus feasting