The Lion
The Lion
Thisanimal, on account of its fierceness and strength, called the king of beasts, is a native of both Asia and Africa. In countries where it lives, all other animals fly before it. Wherever man dwells, he wages war against it, and finally prevails. The lion is, therefore, not found where the country is thickly peopled. But in the vast solitudes of Africa it is common, and reigns monarch of all it surveys.
The lion is called cruel, but he only slays for the purpose of satisfying his hunger. The wolf, tiger, pole-cat, fox, will kill only for the sake of killing—even beyond what they can eat—whereas the lion, when his appetite is appeased, will lie down and let animals, uponwhich he usually feeds, pass by him unhurt.
There is something very noble in the aspect of a lion; his head is large, and his features have a serious and lofty expression. Though of the cat family, he has nothing of the sly, insinuating look of puss.
The strength of the lion is immense. It is said that he can break the skull of an ox by a single stroke of his paw. It is also said that a lion will carry off an ox that it has killed, dragging it over hills and ravines and across streams, and proceeding at long and rapid leaps with his burthen.