ANDROCLES AND THE LION.

185

mark of enmity or rage, and uttered a mournful sound, as though demanding the assistance of the man.

4. Androcles, who was naturally brave, acquired courage from this circumstance, to examine the immense creature. He saw as the lion approached him, that he seemed to limp upon one of his legs, and that the foot was extremely swelled, as though it had been wounded. Acquiring still more fortitude from the gentle demeanor of the beast, he advanced up to him, and took hold of the wounded paw, as a surgeon would examine the hand of a patient. He then perceived that a thorn of uncommon size had penetrated the ball of the foot, and was the occasion of the swelling and lameness which he had noticed.

5. Androcles found that the beast, far from resenting his familiarity, received it with the utmost gentleness, and seemed by his actions to invite him to proceed. He therefore extracted the thorn, and, pressing the swelling, discharged a considerable quantity of matter, which had been the cause of so much pain and uneasiness.

6. As soon as the beast felt himself relieved, he began to testify his joy and gratitude by every expression within his power. He jumped about like a playful spaniel, wagged his enormous tail, and licked the feet and hands of his physician. Nor was he contented with these demonstrations of kindness. From this moment Androcles became his guest; nor did the lion ever sally forth in quest of prey without bringing home the produce of his chase, and sharing it with his friend.

7. In this savage state of hospitality did the man continue to live during several months. At length, wandering unguardedly through the woods, he met with a company of soldiers sent out to apprehend him, and was taken prisoner, and conducted back to his master.

8. The laws of that country being very severe against slaves, he was tried, and found guilty of having fled from his master; and as a punishment for this pretended crime, he was sentenced to be torn in pieces by a furious lion,

kept many days without food, to inspire him with additional rage.

9. When the destined moment arrived, the unhappy man was exposed, in the midst of a spacious a'rea, enclosed on every side, around which many thousand people were assembled to view the mournful spectacle.

10. Presently a dreadful yell was heard, which struck the spectators with horror; and an immense lion rushed out of the den, which was purposely set open. The brute darted forward with erected mane and flaming eyes, and jaws that gaped like an open sepulchre.

11. A mournful silence instantly prevailed! All eyes were turned upon the destined victim, whose destruction now appeared inevitable. But the pity of the multitude was soon converted into astonishment when they beheld the lion, instead of destroying his defenceless prey, crouch submissively at his feet, fawn upon him as a faithful dog would fawn upon his master, and rejoice over him as a mother that unexpectedly recovers her offspring.

12. The governor of the town, who was present, then called out with a loud voice, and ordered Androcles to explain to them this mystery, and how a savage of the fiercest nature should thus in a moment have forgotten his innate disposition, and be converted into a harmless animal.

13. Androcles then related to the assembly every circumstance of his late adventures, and concluded by saying that the very lion which now stood before them had been his friend and entertainer in the woods.

14. All the persons present were astonished and delighted with the story, to find that even the fiercest beasts are capable of being softened by gratitude and moved by humanity; and they unanimously joined to entreat from the governor the pardon of the unhappy man. immediately granted; and Androcles was also presented with the lion, who had in this manner twice saved his life. Thomas Day.

This was

WH

Unto his throne the Queen of Sheba came
(So in the Talmud you may read the story),
Drawn by the magic of the monarch's fame,
To see the splendors of his court, and bring
Some fitting tribute to the mighty king.

II.

Nor this alone: much had her Highness heard
What flowers of learning graced the royal speech;
What gems of wisdom dropped with every word;
What wholesome lessons he was wont to teach
In pleasing proverbs; and she wished, in sooth,
To know if Rumor spoke the simple truth.

III.

And straight she held before the monarch's view,
In either hand, a radiant wreath of flowers;
The one, bedecked with every charming hue,

Was newly culled from Nature's choicest bowers ; The other, no less fair in every part,

Was the rare product of divinest Art.

IV.

"Which is the true, and which the false?" she said. Great Solomon was silent. All amazed,

Each wondering courtier shook his puzzled head ; While at the garlands long the monarch gazed,

As one who sees a miracle, and fain,

For very rapture, ne'er would speak again.

V.

"Which is the true?" once more the woman asked, Pleased at the fond amazement of the king; "So wise a head should not be hardly tasked,

Most learned Liege, with such a trivial thing!

But still the sage was silent; it was plain
A deepening doubt perplexed the royal brain.

VI.

While thus he pondered, presently he sees,
Hard by the casement, -so the story goes,
A little band of busy, bustling bees,

Hunting for honey in a withered rose.

The monarch smiled, and raised his royal head; "Open the window!" that was all he said.

THE EARTH'S JOURNEY ROUND THE SUN.

VII.

The window opened at the King's command;
Within the rooms the eager insects flew,
And sought the flowers in Sheba's dexter hand!
And so the king and all the courtiers knew
That wreath was Nature's; and the baffled queen

Returned to tell the wonders she had seen.

VIII.

My story teaches (every tale should bear
A fitting moral) that the wise may find
In trifles light as atoms in the air

Some useful lesson to enrich the mind,
Some truth designed to profit or to please,
As Israel's king learned wisdom from the bees!

189

John G Saxe.

LXXVIII. THE EARTH'S JOURNEY ROUND

-

THE SUN.

NE, two, three, four, five! Does the reader know that while he has been counting these five beats, five seconds, he has actually been conveyed through space a distance of more than a hundred miles? Yet so it is. However incredible it may seem, no fact is more certain than that the earth is constantly on the wing, flying around 'the sun with a velocity so prodigious that for every breath we draw we advance on our way forty or fifty miles.

2. If, when passing across the waters in a steamboat, we can wake, after a night's repose, and find ourselves conducted on our voyage a hundred miles, we exult in the triumphs of art, which has moved so ponderous a body as a steam-ship over such a space in so short a time, and so quietly, too, as not to disturb our slumbers. But, with a motion vastly more quiet and uniform, we have, in the same interval, been carried along with the earth in its orbit more than half a million of miles.

3. In the case of the steam-ship, however perfect the machinery may be, we still, in our waking hours at least,