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Aesop’s Fables
31. ANDROCLES AND THE me.’
LION
But the Lion had such a sad look in its eye
that before Androcles had time to think
By Rob John he’d stepped forward and pulled out the
thorn.
Once there was a slave called Androcles
who belonged to a very cruel master. The Lion opened his mouth and let out a
Androcles worked all day long in his terrible cry...and for a moment Androcles
master’s fields and was never paid a thought he was going to be eaten, but
single penny. He was always tired and instead of biting Androcles the Lion gently
hungry and one night Androcles decided licked his face.
to escape.
Androcles fetched some water from a
He waited until his master was fast asleep stream and washed the Lion’s bleeding
then he crept out of the house and silently paw.
made his way into the forest...and started
running. ‘You’ll be alright now,’ said Androcles.
Androcles knew that if he was caught he’d The Lion licked Androcles one last time
be punished so he ran all night and in the as if to say ‘thank you’ then limped off into
morning he lay down to rest. the forest.
He’d just fallen asleep when he was Then Androcles heard a voice: ‘That’s
woken by a terrible roaring sound. him. Quickly! Tie him up.’
Androcles jumped to his feet and standing Androcles knew that voice. It was his
right in front of him was a huge Lion. He master. Six men grabbed Androcles and
was about to run away when he noticed tied him up with ropes.
the lion was holding out his paw and
he wasn’t really roaring...he was crying ‘Thought you would escape did you?’ said
because a huge thorn was sticking out of the master. ‘Nobody escapes from me.’
his paw.
‘Ouch! No wonder you’re crying,’ said
Androcles to the Lion. ‘I’d like to help you
but if I come any closer you’ll probably eat
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School Radio
Now Androcles was in really big trouble. good money to see a lion lick a man’s
face.
The men took Androcles to the city and
threw him in prison. But the Emperor stood up and said, ‘This
is the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.’
Next day a prison guard brought Andro- And he started to clap...and the people
cles some food. thought, ‘If the Emperor’s clapping then
maybe I should clap too.’
‘Do you hear that roaring Androcles? We
haven’t fed that Lion since we caught Soon clapping and cheering rang round
him. But he’s going to have plenty to eat the arena. Androcles was taken to the
tomorrow when we put you in his cage.’ palace and when the Emperor heard
the story of the Lion and the thorn he
Next morning Androcles was taken to a announced that both Androcles and the
huge arena like a football stadium. The Lion should be given their freedom.
Emperor and thousands of his people had
come to see a man being eaten by a lion. ‘Androcles, you helped the Lion so the
Lion helped you’ said the Emperor. ‘See
In the centre of the arena was a cage and how one good deed leads to another.
in the cage was a huge, very hungry lion. You’re a free man now.’
The crowd clapped and cheered as the Androcles and the Lion walked out of the
guards pushed Androcles into the cage city together; both free.
and slammed the door shut.
Everyone went very still as the Lion leapt
towards Androcles. But then something
odd happened. The Lion stopped and
stood very still. He knew this man. He’d
seen him somewhere before. Then he re-
membered the thorn that had stuck in his
paw.
‘Are you going to eat me then old friend?’
said Androcles. But the Lion just purred
and licked the slave’s face.
At first the crowd were angry. This wasn’t
supposed to happen. They hadn’t paid
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