Pagina 212 di 274

A Lion fell deeply in love with the daughter of a cottager and

wanted to marry her; but her father was unwilling to give her to

so fearsome a husband, and yet didn't want to offend the Lion; so

he hit upon the following expedient. He went to the Lion and

said, "I think you will make a very good husband for my daughter:

but I cannot consent to your union unless you let me draw your

teeth and pare your nails, for my daughter is terribly afraid of

them." The Lion was so much in love that he readily agreed that

this should be done. When once, however, he was thus disarmed,

the Cottager was afraid of him no longer, but drove him away with

his club.

THE BEE-KEEPER