“Yes, I am,” she faintly replied. ‘ Well, I shall
kill and eat you, because your son deceived me,”


THE BOY AND THE CANNIBALS 377


said the lion ; “ but before I do so, go and bring me
all the food you have in the cave.” The old hare
did so, and the lion killed and ate her. He then
took the food she had laid before him and went
away, and presently perceived the hare in the dis-
tance. “Hare, come and help me,” he cried ; “I am
weighed down with food.” “Where did you get
it?” inquired the other with a sinking heart. “In
a cave in the mountains,” returned the lion. The
hare quickly emptied some poison into the food,
and after helping the lion home with it, ran off to
the cave to see if his mother still lived. One
glance showed him what had happened, and weep-
ing bitterly, he went back to where he had left the
lion, and found him lying dead.
