No family so poor but it had its little lion of carefully pieced rags, which it fondly prized; not merely because it was a quaint toy and indestructible, but because it was to them a token of their noble, friendly beast and of the motto which he had taught them. (But they had taught him many things, also.) And in latter days a crimson lion became the seal of the Guild of Toy-Makers in that shire. And a new tradition began to grow about the Lion Passant, concerned entirely with his service to the people.
So, in seeking Them, the Lion found himself. And he lived happy ever after.
XI. HOPE
"Dear me!" said Red Rex, when Harold had finished this story. "I never saw one of those lion-dolls which your tale mentions. I would that I had one to present to my little girl."
"Have you a little girl?" exclaimed Harold in surprise. "Why, I had no idea that you were the father of little children."
"Well, why not?" asked the Red King crossly. "I have a dear little girl of seven, and her name is Hope."
"Oh, if you have a dear little girl of your own, how can you make war on a city where other dear little girls live?" cried Harold. "I cannot understand!"
"No, you cannot understand, because you are only a child yourself," said the Red King. "When you are grown up you will feel differently."
"Your Majesty, I do not think so," declared Harold, shaking his head decidedly. "When I have learned all the books in our library, and seen all the countries there are to see, and done all the interesting things there are to do, there may be time to think about war. But these other matters will keep me busy all my life, I should think."