“Give me,” said the lad, “some milk of your own udders, which is the only remedy to heal my sick mother.”
“In yonder cave,” said the Lioness, “there are two orphan cubs; go kill them, and flaying them, bring the skins to me.”
The lad did so and brought her the two whole skins. The Lioness milked her udders into them until they were filled.
“Here,” said the Lioness, “take these and go, and be careful not to harm my little cubs on your way.”
The lad took the two cubs’ skins full of milk and thanking the Lioness, departed. On his way, however, he slily stole two beautiful cubs and began to run. But the mother Lioness smelling her young ones, pursued the lad, and overtaking him, exclaimed:
“How now, human being! is this the way you reward kindness done to you? Why did you steal my two cubs?”
“I humbly beg your pardon,” answered the lad. “I was so much pleased with your kindness that I wanted to have a permanent keepsake from you, and what better thing could I carry with me than a brace of your cubs, which I will nourish on princely diet and keep as faithful friends.”
The Lioness, being much pleased with this answer, gave him leave to carry the cubs. He soon came to his hostess, who asked if he brought the Fairy Lioness’s milk.
“Yes, auntie, I have brought it,” answered the lad, presenting the two skins full of milk.
During the night, however, when the lad was sound asleep, the old woman poured out the Lioness’s milk from the skins into a cask and filled them with common goat’s milk. On the following day, the lad, loading the skins on the back of his horse, took the cubs and went home. The stepmother, drinking the milk, exclaimed: