enemy and bring peace to all the animals of the forest once more.
What is your trouble? asked the Lion quietly.
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 Lion thought for a moment.
Are there any other lions in this forest? he asked.
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.
If I put an end to your enemy, will you bow down to me and obey me as
King of the Forest? inquired the Lion.
We will do that gladly, returned the tiger; and all the other beasts
roared with a mighty roar: We will!
Where is this great spider of yours now? asked the Lion.
Yonder, among the oak trees, said the tiger, pointing with his
forefoot.
Take good care of these friends of mine, said the Lion, and I will
go at once to fight the monster.
He bade his comrades good-bye and marched proudly away to do battle
with the enemy.
The great spider was lying asleep when the Lion found him, and it
looked so ugly that its foe turned up his nose in disgust. Its legs
were quite as long as the tiger had said, and its body covered with
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