u dreadful creature!" said the Tiger reproachfully; "would you
want me to eat a poor little lost baby, that doesn't know where its
mother is?" And the beast gathered the little one into its strong, hairy
arms and tried to comfort it by rocking it gently back and forth.

[Illustration]

The Lion growled low in his throat and seemed very much disappointed;
but at that moment a scream reached their ears and a woman came bounding
out of a house and into the street. Seeing her baby in the embrace of
the monster Tiger the woman screamed again and rushed forward to rescue
it, but in her haste she caught her foot in her skirt and tumbled head
over heels and heels over head, stopping with such a bump that she saw
many stars in the heavens, although it was broad daylight. And there she
lay, in a helpless manner, all tangled up and unable to stir.

With one bound and a roar like thunder the huge Lion was beside her.
With his strong jaws he grasped her dress and raised her into an upright
position.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

"Poor thing! Are you hurt?" he gently asked.

Gasping for breath the woman struggled to free herself and tried to
walk, but she limped badly and tumbled down again.

"My baby!" she said pleadingly.

"The baby is all right; don't worry," replied the Lion; and then he
added: "Keep quiet, now, and I'll carry you back to your house, and the
Hungry Tiger will carry your baby."

The Tiger, who had approached the place with the child in its arms,
asked in astonishment:

"Aren't you going to tear her into sixty pieces?"

[Illustration]

"No, nor into six pieces," answered the Lion indignantly. "I'm not
such a brute as to destroy a poor woman who has hurt herself trying to
save her lost baby. If you are so ferocious and cruel and bloodthirsty,
you may leave me and go away, for I do not care to associate with you."

"That's all right," answered the Tiger. "I'm not cruel--not in the
least--I'm only hungry. But I thought _you_ were cruel."

"Thank heaven I'm respectable," said the Lion, with dignity. He then
raised the woman and with much gentleness carried her into her house,
where he laid her upon a sofa. The Tiger followed with the baby, which
he safely deposited beside its mother. The little one liked the Hungry
Tiger and grasping the enormous beast by both ears the baby kissed the
beast's nose to show he was grateful and happy.

"Thank you very much," said the woman. "I've often heard what go