Once upon a time there was a lion who lived on the island called Manda,
which is opposite Shela town, and the people of Shela heard it roaring
nightly. In Shela was a rich merchant, and one day he gave out in the
bazaar: "I will pay one hundred dollars to whosoever will go and sleep
alone one night on the opposite shore, in Manda island." But for fear of
the lion no man would do this.
[Illustration: Lions]
Now in that same town was a youth and his wife who were very poor, for
they had nothing. When this youth heard the talk of the town, he came to
his wife and said, "There is a man who will give a hundred dollars to
any one who will sleep on the opposite side one night. I will go and
sleep there."