ONE fine summer's afternoon, the Lion went trotting home in high good
humour. As he went along, he kept muttering and grinning to himself, as
if mightily pleased. When he got home, he banged at the door of his den
with his tail. A Lion's tail is very strong and hard, you know, stronger
and harder than any bell rope. The Lioness, his wife, was out at the
back, combing out the manes of her young Lions, but presently she came
and opened the door.
"My dear," cried the Lion, "_such_ a piece of news!"
"Oh, indeed?" said the Lioness. "Have you found some travellers to eat?"
"Better than _that_," said the Lion, all a-glow, rubbing his paws.
"Oh, in-_deed_," said the Lioness, smiling. "Then it must be very good
indeed."
"Yes," said the Lion. "Just guess, my love."
"How _can_ I guess? I never was good at guessing. Besides, you could
tell me quicker than I could guess," said the Lion's wife.
"How clever you are," said the Lion, putting his tawny head on one side,
and looking admiringly at his queen. "Perhaps telling _is_ the quickest
way after all. Well--" Then he stopped, as if to tantalize.
"Well--what? How tiresome you are," said the Lioness.
"They have brought a cageful of humans to the town, and all the Beasts
and all the Birds are going to see the show."
"_What!_" cried the Lioness, so astonished that she could hardly believe
her ears.
The Lion skipped right round the parlour three times, snapping his
claws like castanets. "Yes," said he, gleefully, "they used to lock _us_
up, and let people pay to see us, and call us Wild Beasts, and
Carnivora, and all sorts of ugly names. But times are changed. I wonder
how they'll like it? We'll take our little beasts of children to see the
show."
"You _shouldn't_ call the little ducks Beasts," said the Lioness. "I
wonder you don't call them a parcel of Cubs."
"Well, they _are_ Beasts and Cubs, ain't they?" said the Lion.
"Well, never mind, I won't have them spoken of like that," said his
wife. "When will you take me and the darling pets to see this wonderful
show?"
"Come now," said the Lion, jingling his money in the purse he carried in
the end of his tail.
"Oh, I'm not dressed," said the Lioness.
"You never are," said the Lion.
"That's true," said his wife. "Well, here! children! come along and see
the Tame Humans."
The young cubs came rolling in, all tumbling over one another, like
jolly little brutes as they were, and set up a wild roar of delight at
hearing they were going out for the day. When they got half way, the
Lion suddenly stopped and considered.
"I think," said he, "as we are going to change places with the humans,
we ought to have all the fine things they used to have, so we'll buy
some clothes."
"All right, my dear," said the Lioness.
[Illustration]
So they went into a shop, which they found belonged to a very civil
elephant. They were quickly fitted out with nice suits, and then trotted
contentedly on. A large crowd of beasts and birds was going the same
way, and at the door it was hard to get in. The greatest excitement
prevailed--which means, you know, that people--animals, I mean--were
laughing and talking, and wondering, and squeezing, and pushing, and
treading on one another's toes, and saying "Where are you shoving to?"
and "There's plenty of room," and "Don't be disagreeable," and "Don't
lose your temper, pray," and asking questions, and all that kind of
thing. The Lion and his wife were afraid to take in the children, so
left them outside with an old Cow, who was herself too frightened to
venture, and too fat to squeeze through the throng. Inside, the animals
were all staring their hardest. The humans in the cages didn't at all
relish being shown, and were very cross. A Wolf with a long stick was
telling about all their ways, and poking them up to make them roar. One
young man in a blue coat howled with rage, until a good-natured old
Rhinoceros, with a red shawl, threw him a bun. He was so ungrateful as
to kick it out of his cage, which offended the old Rhinoceros, as you
may imagine.
"Times are changed, ain't they?" said a jolly old Bear to the Lion,
chuckling.
"Quite time too," answered the Lion.
The Ostrich craned his long neck, and stared as hard as he could, as did
all the animals. The Lioness was very well pleased, but she hurried out
to see after her children, while the Lion stayed to have a good look. In
fact, there never had been such a sight seen in Beastland before, and I
don't suppose there ever will be such a one again.
[Illustration]