uch as
dogs, deer, hares, or even birds--act just as the lion did on this
occasion.

Beyond a doubt the intellectual process described passed through the
mind of this lion; and he had skulked round to shun an encounter with
the three travellers.

Now a lion will not always act so--though he will in five cases out of
six, or oftener. Hence very erroneous views are held in relation to the
courage of this animal. Some naturalists, led away by what appears to be
a feeling of envy or anger, accuse the lion of downright _cowardice_,
denying him a single noble quality of all those that have from earliest
times been ascribed to him! Others, on the contrary, assert that he
knows no fear, either of man or beast; and these endow him with many
virtues besides courage. Both parties back up their views, not by mere
assertions, but by an ample narration of well-attested facts!

How is this? There is a dilemma here. Both cannot be right in their
opinions? And yet, odd as it may appear to say so, both _are_ right in a
certain sense.

The fact is, some lions are cowardly while others are brave.

The truth of this might be shown by whole pages of facts, but in this
little volume we have no room. I think, however, boy reader, I can
satisfy you with an analogy.

Answer me--Do you know any species of animal, the individuals of which
are exactly alike in character? Think over the dogs of your
acquaintance! Are they alike, or anything near it? Are not some of them
noble, generous, faithful, brave to the death? Are not others mean,
sneaking, cowardly curs? So is it with lions. Now, you are satisfied
that my statement about the lions may be true.

There are many causes to affect the courage and ferocity of the lion.
His age--the state of his stomach--the season of the year--the hour of
the day--but, above all, the sort of hunters that belong to the district
he inhabits.

This last fact appears quite natural to those who believe in the
intellect of animals, which of course _I_ do. It is perfectly natural
that the lion, as well as other animals, should soon learn the character
of his enemy, and fear him or not, as the case may be. Is this not an
old story with us? If I remember aright, we had a talk upon this subject
when speaking of the crocodiles of America. We remarked that the
alligator of the Mississippi rarely attacks man in modern times; but it
has not been always so. The rifle of the alligator-leather hunter has
tamed its feroci