"What is your trouble?" asked the Cowardly Lion in a quiet voice.
"We are all threatened," answered the tiger, "by a fierce enemy which has lately come into this forest. It is a most tremendous Monster, like a great spider, with a body as big as an elephant and legs as long as a tree trunk. It has eight of these long legs, and as the Monster crawls through the forest he seizes an animal with a leg and drags it to his mouth, where he eats it as a spider does a fly. Not one of us is safe while this fierce creature is alive, and we had called a meeting to decide how to take care of ourselves when you came among us."
The Cowardly Lion thought over the situation carefully.
"Are there any other lions in this forest?" he enquired.
"No; there were some, but the Monster has eaten them all. And, besides, they were none of them nearly so large and brave as you."
The Lion got an idea that he hoped would help him overcome his disgrace.
"If I put an end to your enemy," he began, "will you bow down to me and obey me as King of the Forest?"
"We will do that gladly," returned the big tiger. The rest of the forest animals voiced assent.
"Where is this great spider of yours now?" asked the Cowardly Lion bravely.
"Yonder," said the tiger, indicating with a tawny paw, "among the oak trees."