ought the Ox a very
fine animal indeed, and yet, said the Ox, Man was stronger.

The Lion went his ways, and by-and-by, what should he see but a Camel.
If the Ox was a fine creature, here was a finer; ever so tall, with a
hump on his back, and a long neck, and great long legs. Surely this must
be the terrible Man he had heard so much of. But to make certain, he
approached the Camel with great respect, and said--

"Good morning, sir. Pray, will you tell me if you are a Man?"

The Camel turned his long neck, and sniffed and sneered as Camels have a
way of doing, and a most unpleasant way it is.

"Pooh!" said he. "Stuff! poof! you oaf! you think me a Man? I wish I
were a Man, wouldn't I make short work of you! A man, quotha! Why, I am
a slave to that same Man. They catch us, these Men, and make a hole in
our noses, and put a ring in it--do you see my ring? How do you think I
like a hole made in my nose, as if two holes were not enough! Then they
tie a rope to the ring, and lead us about all day long just where they
please, without a with your leave, or by your leave! And they make us
squat down in the mud, and put a great load on our backs, enough to
crush a whipper-snapper like you. Groan as we may, it's all of no use,
they do what they choose. Man! the very name makes me shiver. Get out,
and leave me alone!"

This frightened our Lion, because who knew whether the great animal
might not kill him, if it came into his head, so the Lion went away as
fast as he could.

[Illustration]

In a little while, he espied an Elephant. Here was a monster, to be
sure! A great black mountain, with a long nose curling about, and huge
white teeth sticking out, and big ears flapping. The Lion was quite
terrified this time, and would not go near the Elephant, until he
suddenly saw that the Elephant had a rope round his tusks, by which he
was tied fast to a stake. Then he plucked up courage to approach, and
said--

"Good morning, my lord. Please will you tell me, are you a Man?"

The Elephant trumpeted loudly. That was his way of laughing at the idea
that he could be mistaken for a Man.

"Hooroo! hooroo!" he shrieked. "A Man! Hooroo! No, but a Man is my
master, and that's the truth. A Man tied me to this post. Cruel and
selfish brutes, are men; and with all my strength, I am no match for a
Man. They get on our backs, a dozen of them at a time, and make us
fetch, and carry, and drive us about by sticking a sharp spike into our
sku