Iron County register., 1899-05-18
FANoUIsHED FIVE LIONS
A Ilucky Stork in Germany That
Rules n Den of the King OF
Wild Beasts.


Baron Stein of Poppelsdorf near
Bonn, Germany, is an amateur animal
tanner, and has for his amusement
small menagerie in park adjoining the
old summer residence of the Cologne
electoral princes in Poppelsdorf.
Among other wild beasts, he owns five
African lions, from two to six years old.
They were raised with hyenas, with
whom they live on good terms, though
occasionally one of the big cats knocks
hyena down and scratches its face,
just to show who is boss of the cage.
Having taught these animals all that
he could, the baron decided to introduce
a novelty into the performance which
he is in the habit of giving before an adj
miring circle of friends. An old white
stock named Fritz has lived for years on
the highest tower of Poppelsdorf castle,
and, as he was reared in the baron's
poultry yard, never has INDUCED in the
migratory habits of his kind.
. Fritz, who is four feet tall and has
bill more than seven inches long, was
kept in the big training cage alone for
week to accustom him to it. On the
tenth of his Imprisonment the lion cage
was rOlled up 10 the cage.
Fritz viewed the lions with healthy
curiosity, but without the least alarm.
Tampa, a two-year-old lion, was the first
to be driven into the cage with the BIRD.
He looked at Fritz for second or two.
and then tried to crawl back to his fam
lily, tail first: but, finding the means of
egress locked, he raised himself to his
full height and uttered defiant roar.
At this the stork's neck feathers
bristled. He lifted his bill in protest,
''clappering' as only stork can.
The strange noise upset Zampa's self
confidence. He stood still and dropped
his tail sadly. But the blood of his IA
theirs rose in him again, and, whipping
his fanks with his tail, he cautiously
advanced on the enemy, covering occa-
sionally, as if preparing to spring.
The stork viewed these warlike prep
arations with increasing anger, and his
bill worked like castanets Standing
for second on his strong middle toes,
he raised his wings and aimed as if
about to hit the lion in the eye.
The lion hesitated again, and was
lost. The stork few at him and bored
his sharp beak into his adversary's nose,
which began to bleed. AS the bird
stepped back to prepare for another on
slaught Tampa turned swiftly, and,
forgetful in his bewilderment from
which side he had entered, jumped to
the other side of the cage and covered
there.
Fritz had no taste for pursuing his
vanquished foe. Leaving the rear part
of the cage to the lion, he marked off
the extent of his own territory by walk
ing up and down a straight line, which
limited his sphere of influence to about
three-quarters of the total area. With
in this space he strutted a conquering
hero.
Zampa's brother, three years old,
then was sent into the cage. He showed
in turn astonishment, disposition for
fight and half-hearted defiance. The
stork, on his part, tried to keep out of a
fight as long as he could, finally turning
his back upon his foe.
The lion couldn't let that opportun-
ity pass without trying to profit by it.
He was about to spring upon the stork.
when the latter wheeled about with in
credible swiftness and hit the lion in
the face, drawing blood. Zampa's
brother ran at once. He had enough.
Lion No. 3 Jared not better than his
predecessors. The two remaining lions,
however, had more perseverance. Each
returned to the attack after being pun
ished once, and in consequence Fritz
bled each twice, after which they ran
away as fast as the others had done.
On the next day the two biggest lions
were sent into the stogk's cage again.
Fritz awaited them, with his baci,
against the wall, and each had to retire,
bearing the mark of his bill on his coun-
tenance.
For some time the lions have spent
their days with Fritz in the training
cage. The bird holding the front half
Of the cage, and the five cowed lions oc-
cupy the rear. The two contending par
ties take their meals separately, and
seem to pay no attention to each other.
Only the fact that Fritz always walks
with his tail to the bars indicates that
there has been trouble.-N. Y. Press.