onkey, "it is most kind of you to take the
trouble. May I inquire what the business is?"

'"Certainly," replied the hare. "It is my friend the lion who has heard
so much of your charms and good qualities that he has sent me to beg
that you will give him your paw in marriage. He regrets deeply that he
is unable to make the request in person, but he has been ill and is too
weak to move."

[Illustration: The Donkey expected the Lion would speak of their
Marriage]

'"Poor fellow! How sad!" said the donkey. "But you must tell him that I
feel honoured by his proposal, and will gladly consent to be Queen of
the Beasts."

'"Will you not come and tell him so yourself?" asked the hare.

* * * * *

'Side by side they went down the road which led to the lion's house. It
took a long while, for the donkey was so fat with eating she could only
walk very slowly, and the hare, who could have run the distance in about
five minutes, was obliged to creep along till she almost dropped with
fatigue at not being able to go at her own pace. When at last they
arrived the lion was sitting up at the entrance, looking very pale and
thin. The donkey suddenly grew shy and hung her head, but the lion put
on his best manners and invited both his visitors to come in and make
themselves comfortable.

'Very soon the hare got up and said, "Well, as I have another engagement
I will leave you to make acquaintance with your future husband," and
winking at the lion she bounded away.

'The donkey expected that as soon as they were left alone the lion would
begin to speak of their marriage, and where they should live, but as he
said nothing she looked up. To her surprise and terror she saw him
crouching in the corner, his eyes glaring with a red light, and with a
loud roar he sprang towards her. But in that moment the donkey had had
time to prepare herself, and jumping on one side dealt the lion such a
hard kick that he shrieked with the pain. Again and again he struck at
her with his claws, but the donkey could bite too, as well as the lion,
who was very weak after his illness, and at last a well-planted kick
knocked him right over, and he rolled on the floor, groaning with pain.
The donkey did not wait for him to get up, but ran away as fast as she
could and was lost in the forest.

'Now the hare, who knew quite well what would happen, had not gone to do
her business, but hid herself in some bushes behind the cave, wh