In Rome there was once a poor slave whose name was Androcles. Androcles was a kind young man but his master was a cruel man, and so unkind to him that Androcles finally ran away.

He hid himself in a wild wood far away from Rome for many days; but there was no food to be found. Androcles grew so weak and sick that he thought he would die soon. So, one day he crept into a cave. Androcles was exhausted and weak with hunger. He laid down on a pile of leaves, and soon he was fast asleep.

After a while a great noise woke him up. A large, ferocious lion had come into the cave, and was roaring loudly. Androcles was terrified, for he felt sure that the beast would kill and eat him. Soon, however, he saw that the lion was not angry, but that he limped as if his foot hurt him. The lion carefully sat down in the cave staring at Androcles with sad eyes.

Then Androcles grew so brave that he took hold of the lion's lame paw to see what was the matter. The lion stood quite still, and rubbed his head against the man's shoulder. He seemed to say,--

"I know that you will help me."

Androcles lifted the paw from the ground, and saw that it was a long, sharp thorn which hurt the lion so much. He took the end of the thorn in his fingers;

then he gave a strong, quick pull, and out it came. The lion first looked in pain but then when he saw that his paw no longer hurt, he was full of joy. He jumped about like a dog, and licked the hands and feet of his new friend.

Androcles was not at all afraid after this; and when night came, he and the lion lay down and slept side by side, keeping each other warm.

For a long time, the lion brought food to Androcles every day; and the two became such good friends, that Androcles found his new life a very happy one.

One day some soldiers who were passing through the wood found Androcles in the cave. They knew that he was an escaped slave, and so the soldiers captured and took him back to Rome.

It was the law at that time that every slave who ran away from his master should be made to fight a hungry lion. So a fierce lion was shut up for a while without food, and a time was set for the fight.

When the day came, thousands of people crowded to see the sport. They went to such places at that time very much as people now-a-days go to see a football match.

The door opened, and poor Androcles was brought in. He was almost dead with fear, for the roars of the lion could already be heard. He looked up, and saw that there was no pity in the thousands of faces around him.

Then the hungry lion rushed in. With a single jump, he reached the poor slave. Androcles gave a great cry, not of fear, but of gladness. It was his old friend, the lion of the cave.

The people, who had expected to see the man killed by the lion, were filled with wonder. They saw Androcles put his arms around the lion's neck; they saw the lion lie down at his feet, and lick them lovingly; they saw the great beast rub his head against the slave's face as though he wanted to be petted. They could not understand what it all meant.

After a while, the powerful Emperor asked Androcles to tell them about it. So he stood up before the Emperor and the spectators, and, with his arm around the lion's neck, told how he and the beast had lived together in the cave.

"I am a man," he said; "but no man has ever befriended me. This poor lion alone has been kind to me; and we love each other as brothers."

The people were not so bad that they could be cruel to the poor slave now. "Live and be free!" they cried. "Live and be free!"

Others cried, "Let the lion go free too! Give both of them their liberty!"

The Emperor was amazed by the story and declared that both Androcles and the lion should be freed.

And so Androcles was set free, and the lion was given to him. They both walked out of the arena as the crowds of people cheered. And they happily lived together in Rome for many years.