distance away from me, and I was
left pretty much alone. So I went forth on a little, looking about me,
and sure enough under one of the pillars of the cloister beneath the
market-house (the great green pillar, if thou mindest it), lay crouched
a huge yellow lion, on the carcase of a goat, which he had knocked
down, but would not fall to eating of amidst all that cry and hubbub.

"Now belike one thing of me thou wottest not, to wit, that I have a
gift that wild things love and will do my bidding. The house-mice will
run over me as I lie awake looking on them; the small birds will perch
on my shoulders without fear; the squirrels and hares will gambol about
quite close to me as if I were but a tree; and, withal, the fiercest
hound or mastiff is tame before me. Therefore I feared not this lion,
and, moreover, I looked to it that if I might tame him thoroughly, he
would both help me to live as a jongleur, and would be a sure ward to
me.

"So I walked up towards him quietly, till he saw me and half rose up
growling; but I went on still, and said to him in a peaceable voice:
'How now, yellow mane! what aileth thee? down with thee, and eat thy
meat.' So he sat down to his quarry again, but growled still, and I
went up close to him, and said to him: 'Eat in peace and safety, am I
not here?' And therewith I held out my bare hand unclenched to him, and
he smelt to it, and straightway began to be peaceable, and fell to
tearing the goat, and devouring it, while I stood by speaking to him
friendly.

"But presently I saw weapons glitter on the other side of the square
place, and men with bended bows. The yellow king saw them also, and
rose up again and stood growling; then I strove to quiet him, and said,
'These shall not harm thee.'

"Therewith the men cried out to me to come away, for they would shoot:
But I called out; 'Shoot not yet! but tell me, does any man own this
beast?' 'Yea,' said one, 'I own him, and happy am I that he doth not
own me.' Said I, 'Wilt thou sell him?' 'Yea' said he, 'if thou livest
another hour to tell down the money.' Said I, 'I am a tamer of wild
beasts, and if thou wilt sell this one at such a price, I will rid thee
of him.' The man yeasaid this, but kept well aloof with his fellows,
who looked on, handling their weapons.

"Then I turned to my new-bought thrall and bade him come with me, and
he followed me like a dog to his cage, which was hard by; and I shut
him in there, and laid down th