Having recovered his hard-earned fortune, the traveller thanked the Monkey, and continued on his journey. He was astonished that such a creature could be so grateful, and reproached himself for never having thought of the animal. He was walking along in the midst of these reflections when he heard a terrible roaring, and a ferocious-looking Lion appeared before him. The traveller was seized with terror. He was so frightened that he leaned against a tree to keep from falling to the ground. To his surprise, the King of the Forest spoke to him thus: "Good-day, my friend, my deliverer! It was you that saved my life. I want to show you my gratitude. Come into my cavern and take a few moments' rest." The conduct of the Monkey had somewhat reconciled the traveller to the animals. Whatever fear he might have had in the presence of the Lion, the traveller hoped that the King of Beasts would not be less generous than the Monkey. "I am happy to tell you," said the Lion, after having heard about the Monkey, "that gratitude ought to be the first virtue of beasts, since it is not that of man." At the same time the Lion thought to himself—"How can I show my gratitude to my dear deliverer, and what can I do for him so as not to appear inferior to the Monkey?" He was filled with these reflections when they arrived at the cavern. The traveller was well taken care of by the Lion. He dined most sumptuously, drank of the best wines, and ate of the most delicious fruits. But while they were discussing the dessert, the same distressing thought came into the Lion's head—"What can I do to retain my dignity and pay the sacred debt I owe my deliverer?" But he could not think of anything suitable, and the traveller observed it. So he said: "What is the matter, my friend? You seem disconsolate." "Nothing," said the Lion. "But you must promise me that you will not leave this place until I return." "But why?" inquired the traveller. "You will know later," responded the lion. "Very well," said the traveller, "here I will remain." The Lion bounded away, and he was soon in the middle of the forest, looking this way and that, to the right and to the left, in search of something marvellous to give to the traveller, when all of a sudden he saw the young Prince, the Vizier's pupil, who had been exiled, promenading in his castle grounds. On the Prince's head there was a turban, which was ornamented with a superb cluster of diamonds. "That is the very thing," exclaimed the Lion, and with one bound he seized the Prince and strangled him. Thus was the jeweller avenged, and his diamonds were returned to him. The traveller, who had been robbed and beaten by order of the young Prince and his Vizier, was glad to get his jewels back, and he did not know how to be grateful enough to the Lion, of whom he had formerly been afraid.