3. ANDROCLES AND THE LION
Once a poor slave who was treated cruelly by his master ran away into a forest and hid in a cave. Soon he heard a dreadful roar and saw a lion limping as though his foot hurt. Androcles went close to the lion and saw a sharp thorn was piercing the lion’s paw. He quickly drew the thorn out, and the lion began jumping about him like a kitten, licking the slave’s hands and feet. Androcles and the lion became warm friends and lived like brothers, sharing each other’s food until one day the slave was caught and taken back to his master; and the lion was caught and put into a large cage. In those days any slave who ran away from his master, when caught, must fight a lion kept several days without food. So when the next holiday came, Androcles was put in the great arena with thousands of people crowding its seats to see him die. When all was ready a door in the cage was opened, and out bounded the lion ready to spring upon the poor slave. With a tremendous roar the lion dashed toward him, but to the surprise of all the people, instead of hurting him, the lion crouched down at his feet like a pet dog and began to lick the slave’s hands and feet. The people cried, “O Androcles, what meaneth this?” Then Androcles put his arms around the lion’s neck and said, “O people, in the forest I pulled a thorn out of this lion’s foot, and that is why he does not hurt me now.” The people were delighted and shouted, “Androcles shall be free! Androcles shall be free!”
So Androcles and the lion were set free and lived together like brothers long afterward.
4. CORNELIA AND HER JEWELS
One bright morning in a beautiful Roman garden two brothers were playing among the flowers and trees. Cornelia, their mother, a Roman lady, called the boys into the house, saying, “A friend is to dine with us to-day, and she will show us her jewels.” After the simple meal was over a servant brought into the room a large and beautiful casket of jewels, which the rich lady showed to her friends. How eagerly the boys gazed at those sparkling jewels—pearls, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds! The younger boy whispered to his brother, “I wish our mother had beautiful jewels too!” Later, when the boys had gone out into the garden to play, the friend said, “Is it true, Cornelia, that you are so poor that you have no jewels?” “Oh, no,” answered Cornelia, “I have jewels that are far more precious than yours.” “Oh, let me see them,” said the lady; “where are they?” “If you care to see them I will bring them to you,” said Cornelia. Then, calling her boys to her side, she presented them to the lady, saying, “These are my jewels! Are they not far more precious than your gems?”
In the long after-times when Cornelia’s sons became the greatest and best men of Rome, they never forgot that day when they knew that they were their mother’s pride and joy and love, dearer far to her than the most precious jewels of the rich.
5. KING ALFRED AND THE CAKES
Long ago in England there lived a good king, whose name was Alfred. One day after a fierce battle with the Danes the English soldiers were scattered and every man had to save himself in the best way he could. King Alfred fled alone, in great haste, through the woods and swamps, coming late at night to a wood-cutter’s cottage. He was very tired and hungry, and begged the wood-cutter’s wife to give him something to eat and a place to sleep. The good woman, not knowing who he was, invited him into her hut. She was cooking some cakes and so she said: “My poor, ragged fellow, you shall have some supper if you will watch these cakes. I want to go out and milk the cow, and you must see that the cakes do not burn while I am gone.” King Alfred sat down to watch them, but as his thoughts were on his people and his plans for the next day, he forgot all about the cakes until the woman came in and saw that they were burned to a crisp. “You lazy fellow!” she cried. “How dare you let the cakes burn? See what you have done!” Some people think she even struck the king with a stick. But the king was good-natured, not caring for her angry words half so much as for the loss of the cakes. No doubt he had to go hungry to bed that night. Early the next morning soldiers loudly knocked at the door, and said, “We seek King Alfred!” Then she knew she had treated her king shamefully. Alfred was great and good enough to ask her forgiveness for burning the cakes.
Soon after that the king gathered his men together again, won a great battle, drove the Danes back to their own country, and all the rest of his days ruled his people wisely and well. But this story of King Alfred and the Cakes has never been forgotten in all the after years.