Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1903-06-18

The lion went into the deepest part
of the forest, where he felled and ate
much prey; the ass went to a farm
where he saw the barn door open, and
a great pile Of oats on the barn floor
He entered without leave, and ate so
much oats that he was ready to burst. /
He then repaired to the place where
he was to meet the lion and lay. down 1
A raven flying by and seeing him lying
motionless, thought he was dead, and
lighting on him, picked off the grains
Of oats that were still sticking to his
lips. Vexed with the raven, the ass
struck it such blow with one Of it's
hoofs that it fell dead beside him.
When the lion returned from his
chase, he said to Brancalion:
Hear what I have taken and tell
me if I am not a good hunter?'
Then he told what game he had
taken.
''And how did you take it?' said
Brancalion.
The lion told him all he had done,
his arts, his ambushes and his races.
The ass interrupted him:
20 fool, brainless creature that you
are! From morning until now you
have not ceased to run, and hustle, and
brush through the thickets, and chase
over the mountains, to take what little
you took. And I, lying here and taking
my pleasure, have caught and eaten
SO much that I am just ready to burst,
as you may easily see. And to prove
to you that am not telling idle stories.
| have kept this fat bird as q morsel
for you, which for the love Of me, I
beg you will accept"
The lion thanked the ass for the bird
and then went away, resolved never
again to present himself before the
ass. While on his way he met q wolf
running at great speed. The lion
stopped him with the inquiry:
''Where are you going SO fast, COM
rade wolf?''
"On important business. [ must be
at certain place this very hour, SO
don't trouble me-" replied the wolf.
But the lion, believing that the wolf
was rushing into danger, begged him
to go no farther.
''Not far from her. said he, is ''Bran-
Gallon, very large animal, with mon
strous ears, and a hide thick enough
der; any beast would fly before it..
Then he does the most wonderful
things. He is monarch before whom
all must tremble''
The wolf knew that the lion spoke Of
the ass. and said to him:
"Don't be afraid. It is only an ass,
the most contemptible animal ever
| created, good for nothing but to bear
burdens and blows. AS for me, have
eaten in my time more than a hundred
of them. Come with me. We may
go safely, as I shall show you"
"Go, my friend, if it seems good to
you," said the lion; ''for my part, am
satisfied with what / have seen."
| But the wolf prevailed on the lion
to accompany him on condition that
they should not separate from each
| other; and to make this sure, they tied
their tails together. Then they started
| towards the ass Whe seeing them at
a distance AID rawng afraid was just
about to fly WHEN the lion, pointing
him out to the wolf, exclaimed:
'See, brother! See him coming
stra ight for us! Let us not wait, fol
he will kill us. I know his fury"
The wolf burned with the desire to
attack the ass.
BE quiet" he said to the lion, "be
quiet, I entreat you, and have no fear
It is only an ass
/ But the lion, more frightened than
ever, plunged through the most tangled
thickets and leaped the widest bitches
| While he was breaking through thick
hedge, thorn tore open his left eye
Such was his fright that he thought the
hurt came from Brancalion; and still
flying on, exclaimed to the wolf:
Didn't tell you rightly, comrade
Run! Run! Run faster! He has al
ready put out one of my eyes,
And still flying he dragged the poo,
wolf against the sharp rocks, ant
through the most dangerous places
till the poor creature died Of his bruise
) and other hurts.
When at last the lion believed himsel
: in safety, he said to the wolf:
"Comrade, think we may now u1
tie our tails; what do you say?"
Hearing no answer, he turned AM
saw that he was fastened to a dea'
body.
".Ah, comrade, I told you he woul,
kill you,'' he exclaimed: 'sDut you wer
; obstinate; you would not believe me
See what it has cost us! You have los
your life. and my left eye.'
Then, untying himself, he abandone
> the dead wolf and went to hide hin
self in dense and dark caverns, leavi1l
the ass possessor of the mountain
from whence it has come that the as
). dwells among the haunts of men, an
the lion in savage and uninhabite
= places.
But men, as well as lions, are some
|. times deceived and oyer-reached b
L false pretensions.-W Mags
: zine.
If.