He was David Livingstone. He was a missionary, and a great traveller
too.
He lived almost all his life in Africa. In some parts of Africa there
are lions. Once he was staying at a certain village. Every night the
lions broke into the yards and carried off a cow or two. So a party of
natives went out to hunt for them.
[Illustration: A LION.]
Livingstone was with them. They saw some lions, and tried to surround
them in a circle. But the lions got away.
They were coming home when Livingstone saw a great lion. He was
sitting on a rock not far away. He fired at him, but did not hit him.
He stopped to load his gun again.
He heard the men shout. He turned and saw the lion all ready to
spring.
(A lion crouches to spring, like a cat.)
The lion sprang upon Livingstone, and seized his shoulder with his
great teeth. He shook him just as a cat shakes a mouse.
Was Livingstone frightened? He was frightened when the lion seized
him. But after he shook him he wasn't a bit afraid.
He said the lion shook the fear all out of him. He felt as if he was
in a pleasant dream. He only wondered what the lion would do next.
He did not do anything next. He stood with his great paw on
Livingstone's head till another man fired at him. Then he sprang on
that man and bit him.
Then he sprang on a third man and bit him. And then--he rolled over,
dead! So Livingstone escaped.
Livingstone afterwards visited England. The little English children
used to ask him to tell them the story of how the lion shook him.
The lion belongs to the cat family. Does not the lion in the picture
look like a big handsome cat?