In Jungle Land all the animals lived happily together in spite of their differences. But there was one difference that made it hard for Leo the lion to get on with the others, and that was his terrible roar. Whenever he opened his mouth to speak, every one ran away, for they were all so afraid of being attacked.
So Leo set to work and practised saying “Moo,” “Oink,” “Waf,” and “Hoo,” without showing his teeth, and when he had got them perfect he determined to pay a visit to the animals and begged them to be his friends.
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,” he said, as they looked rather surprised his behaviour. “I have come to pay my respects to you, and, if possible, to live with you in harmony in the future.”
None of the assembled company answered a word, and the old cow said to her husband:
“I feel sure that we shall always do well to treat him as an enemy.”
Leo felt that he was a little awkward at conversation, and for some time, therefore, he was silent till he spied a nice juicy young pig going by. Then his mouth watered, and opening it wide, he exclaimed: “Would any one like to join me in a light repast?”
But there’s nothing like practice for shrinking a large mouth, and in this instance his tusks did not appear, which made the old boar stare with astonishment and say:
“I never thought a lion could be so polite or have such nice manners. Let us go together to his house and accept the invitation he has given us.”
And so they all went behind the trees on to the downs, and were invited in by Leo, and he had dinner to suit every taste made of squirrels and hares and all kinds of good-to-eat food. Then they had such fun smoking his big cigar and taking the lemon squash and coffee he offered them, that they stayed far into the night.
At last the guests got up to go, and the lion led them out to the door, and as they bade him goodbye he had nothing to thank them for their visit but a courteous “Good-night,” and the animals felt they were pleased with his company.
But after the lion had seen his friends to the door a great change came over him; the sky grew black and the lightning began to flash and the rain to pour down, while the roar of thunder crashed through the jungle. Even Leo himself was terrified at this sudden storm, and did not know how to seek security from the dangers that threatened him.
But happily a torch and a ladder were standing by his door, so the lion seized them, and in two minutes he was on the top of a tall tree with both the ladder and the torch.
Now it happened that at the same moment his guests the animals were enduring the full force of the tempest. Even the lion’s courage deserted him when he found the rest of the animals were trembling with terror. The ants were shaking as they lay in their nests below, while the wind tossed the trees to and fro. How should a lion behave under such circumstances?
So he thought he should do right if he roared for help, but, on reflection, decided that, after all, it was better not to excite the poor creatures he had asked to his feast. So he did not roar, but quietly began descending the sides of the ladder to explain how good mobile attack was always ready to meet the immediate danger of day.
The pig listened attentively, and as soon as these words were uttered there was a flash of lightning, followed almost immediately by another loud clap of thunder. Still no word of thanks was spoken by the pig.
“Sirrah!” shouted the lion in an angry voice. “You’ve nothing to fear now. This thunder you hear is caused by my voice, and unless you choose your thoughts a little more carefully, I may cause even greater rain to fall into your belly.”
To which indignity the old boar only answered: “May I never eat again, sir, if I ever made a remark that did not suit you.”
But it was a bespoken from the mouth of the lion that presently woke him from his perplexities. It just passed through his mind that if he could but change places with the harmless pig, it might help to establish a better feeling between them. But before he tried he went on talking to her in a gentle voice.
“I am sorry to have frightened you to-day, Madam Pig, but I assure you it was the storm that startled me and turned my voice from the animal it usually is into that of a lion’s.”
Then the poor pig was ashamed of herself for not answering the lion with more courtesy than she had done. “It was wrong of me,” said she, “but your kindness has been so great this day that I implore you henceforth to be as savage as you like.”
There was a little more with than against what is said of this, and shortly afterwards dusk was beginning to set in, and the embers were fizzing on the fire.
So they all went before the grill to quarter their portions, and the lion made the best meal of all, and then cried, “Hurray for the dinner!” on which the whole company shouted lustily, “Queer for the hurray!” And then they went out into the fields and sang round the pig’s stye till dawn.