The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-01-18
BRAVE LION
PROP0UNDS A RIDDLE
By MAC CHUNG sTRICKLER.

One night in the jungle, after the
animals had eaten supper and were
sitting around noisily smacking their
lips and licking their chops, Brave
Lion suggested that, since there was
no fun in sitting there looking at each
other, they go down to the creek and
get a drink Every creature opened
wide his eyes, because at night Brave
Lion always went off by himself, and
this was a very strange remark for
him to make. Striped Tiger winked at
Spotted Leopard as much as to say,
Whats in the wind now?"
Most of the animals agreed to the
plan. Grizzly Bear said he had prom
Used his wife to put on the 0hildren's
night caps, tuck them in their cribs
and send them to dreamland by tell
ing a story, while Little Monkey,
who was amusing himself trying to
get the curl out of his tail, said in his
saucy way:
I'm not bit thirsty, and even if
1 were, 1 know where there's a soda
water spring"
The other animals at once got upon
all tours, and led by Brave Lion, saun-
tered down towards the stream. Lit
tie Monkey, who always wanted to
find out things, was dying to know
what was up. So he sneaked on be-
hind, taking good care not to trip over
a leaf or a stick. Arriving on the
scene of action he climbed to the top
of tree where he could see and hear
without being seen nor heard himself.
First the animals took good drink
of clear, cool spring water, afterwards
washing their faces and paws. Then
they all sat down on their hind legs
ana looked inquiringly at Brave Lion,
who said in his softest voice, which 1t
must be confessed, was not very SOFT
MY four-legged friends, 1 feel
greatly honored in having my invita-
ton accepted by SO many, and 1
promise that you shall not only be
we'll entertained, but go away wiser
than you were when you came. The
fact is, l have story to tell, likewise
a question to be answered. The story
is interesting to all us jungle fellows,
and the riddle is really a simple one
to answer-when you come to think"
"Oh, let's go home" growled Laugh
ing Hyena, dropping his voice to a
stage whisper. "All he wants is 10
get us in food humor, so he can Dor
row some fresh game for breakfast"
Don't be rash, my boy!" cautioned
Spotted Leopard, but, hark and I'll
tell you the truth: In a story-book
somebody once said he was the King
of Beasts, and ever since, he likes
nothing better than to hear himself
talk"
1T was like this" continued Brave
Lion, not noticing the side talk GO
ing on about him. "A long time ago,
so long that you have all forgotten
and even 1 can't quite remember, a
story came to our ears that a lot of
hunters were coming to kill all the
inhabitants of the jungle Now this
was terrible thing to happen to such
fine lot of animals as we are, and
something had to be done, and very
soon at that So meeting was called,
and it was decided to elect one from
among us, have him undertake the
journey and ask the King to send a
body of soldiers to head off the in
vaders
1.-THE King lived a great many miles
away, so far that it would take weeks,
maybe months, to get to his place and
back; and as our messenger had to go
all alone, swimming rivers, climbing
over mountains and trudging all
through all sorts of dangerous places,
you can see for yourselves that re
might be killed outright or worse
still, be captured by circus man, or
be trapped for a geological garden.
Then all the Inhabitants of the Jungle
would be shot by the banters.