Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-16
CHAPTER v
Why the Lion ROars

NlHE runaway circus animals were
!, much upset when Stripes, the tiger,
said he was going to set UP the rule of
fear among them.
"oh- o-oo!" groaned the antelope,
the cazelle. and the camel. 1--WE don't
vans to live under the rule of fear. We
would rather be back in our own safe
cages in the menagerie."
"Er-r-r-r-ough!" !" snarled Stripes.
"If you make me your ruler perhaps
I will not eat you"
''But supposing other animals in
this gloomy forest try to eat u.s."
whispered the gazelle, looking fearfully
about, "what will you do then? ! fear
there are all sorts of monsters in these
shadows"
Stripes and all the circus animals
looked nervously about.
II will protect YOU shiyered
dark 1 would 60 hunting other animals
right now. / would teach them the
RUE OF fear. and at the same time ger
a nice, warm supper"
At that moment cloud drifted over
the moon, cutting off the light and
leaving the woods in blackness. Mrs.
Screech Owl in distant swamp gave
a dismal hoot.
whats that?" gasped the animals.
"Protect us. Stripes Protect us !"
Stripes made no answer. The cloud
drifted away, and the moon came out
again. BY it's light Jack and Janet
could see the circus beasts huddled
together in the center of the hollow.
And in the very center of the huddle
was Stripes, the tiger. He was trying
to hide behind the others.
'Ow-oom -ough! rumbled the lion.
"You would make q fine ruler. That's
the way with tigers. They are good
biders when danger is near"
'Er-r-r-r-r-r-ough. I've never
Stripes. "As soon as / learn how to
fight, I'll not be afraid of anything"
~ am not afraid Of anything now,"
rumhled the Lion. ''I'll be the king
Of this crowd, just as Leo, my ancestor,
was king of the desert. Did you ever
hear how he won his kingship over all
the animals?'
The animals, huddling together as
they watched the shadows of the forest,
listened as the lion told his story.
had a diplomatic career, received the
"Once upon time the lion vas just
like other beasts" be began. '.ic had
to fight to eat and fight to keep i.om
being eaten. And when he met a beast
that seemed stronger than he was he
ran away;
that when animals were scared they
couldn't fight so we'll as when they
were brave. Thus he could kill
frightened lamb at one blow. but he
had to fight his hardest when he fought
a leopard. because the leopard wasn't
afraid and fought hack
If ! had some way OF soaring my
foes before fighting them, how easy it
would be to whip Them he said to
himself. One day storm swept over
the woods. The peals Of thunder ter
riHed the beasts. They fed and hid
themselves.
wasn't frightened out of his wits. If
! had a voice like the thunder l could
himself.
''At once Leo began to develop his
voice. He copied the roar of the thun-
der. At first his roars were as feeble
% the bleat Of sheep. Then, as he
kept on practicing, they grew louder
and louder. Finally they became almost
as deep as the rumble Of the thunder
itself.
"Then Leo was ready to try his roar
In fight. He met leopard at a water
hole. The leopard looked full of fight.
Leo opened his mouth and out of it
came q noise like thunder. The leopard
was seized with astonish. .oent and sud-
den fear. 1t cowed back and in that
instant Leo charged upon it and slew it.
'And 80 it was when Leo fought the
hairy ape and the wild boar. His roar
terrified them. and victory came before
they got over their fear. And thus he
conquered all beasts.
"'That is what I will do in this
woods the circus lion went on. I
will roar and then I will slay and eat
svery beast I meet With that the
lion opened his mouth and from It came
Q hoarse roar.
(But tl.ere came an answer to that
roar, and the answer startled Mr.. Lion
What IT was will bo told In the next
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