But the lion looked at him, and then came toward him. The animal did not rush toward him or leap. Instead, the lion just walked toward Androcles. That was strange, Androcles thought. The lion came nearer and nearer--and then Androcles noticed that the lion walked in a peculiar manner. That puzzled Androcles. But he sat quite still, hoping that the lion would yet go away. But instead the lion came right up to him. _Now_ he would be eaten up, poor Androcles thought. Then a wonderful thing happened. Instead of eating him, the lion held out a paw toward him. Then Androcles understood. He looked at the lion's paw closely. He saw that the paw was swollen. Yes, that is why the lion had been _limping_. Androcles took the paw in his hands and examined it. On the under side he found a large thorn embedded deep in the flesh. It must have been there for several days, and must have caused the lion intense pain. Androcles pulled out the thorn carefully; then he squeezed down the swelling. That relieved the lion's pain. Immediately the lion showed his gratitude. He wagged his tail, fawned on Androcles, and gambolled around him playfully like a dog. He could not do more to show his feelings. After a time the lion went away to the jungle. A year passed. Androcles still lived in hiding. Then at last he was captured by the soldiers, and brought before the judge. It used to be the law in those days to condemn runaway slaves to death. Also, it used to be the custom to put to death Christians and condemned slaves by casting them to lions. So one afternoon all the Romans in that place were gathered to make a holiday. It was a kind of circus they had come to see, only, instead of having the usual clever tricks which you now see in a circus, the Romans had fights between men and men, between men and animals--and finally, as a grand finish, the Christians and the condemned slaves were thrown to wild lions. Many of the lions had recently been captured from the jungle; so they were quite wild. And as they had been kept without food for two or three days on purpose, they were very ferocious and quite eager to eat the Christians and the condemned slaves. When it came Androcles' turn to be eaten, he was thrown into the enclosure, which was called an arena. Then a wild lion, which had been recently caught from the jungle, was let loose into the arena from a cage. Ten thousand Romans looked on to see Androcles die. And Androcles looked up to the Romans, and found no mercy in them. He looked at the famished and furious lion--and knew that he must die. For the lion crouched ten yards before him, lashing his tail in fury. The lion gave a bound, and came within five yards of Androcles. There the lion crouched again for a moment--then made a rush at Androcles. Everyone thought that _now_ the lion would kill Androcles.