even for those days, when there were giants in the land. In
stature six feet five and powerful in proportion and likewise very fleet
of foot. If I should tell you of some of the legends of his strength and
swiftness, you would probably laugh.
"But the one that has to do with the coat-of-arms of my family I will
tell you. It chanced one day that he was out in the wilds of the
mountains and quite alone. Intent upon the trail of a deer that he was
following along a shelving mountain side, he did not see a lion half
grown, but nevertheless very dangerous, which was crouching on the
branch of a tree ready to spring upon him when he got beneath it.
"When he had passed by under the tree a pace or two, the lion sprang
with distended claws. Some instinct of danger made Rodriquez turn and he
was just in time to grapple with the brute, clutching it by the throat.
The lion had some advantage in weight but not a great deal, for my brave
ancestor was probably three hundred pounds of sinew, bone and muscle. So
that the struggle was not such an unequal one, but it was terrific while
it did last. Finally, though torn and bleeding, the man subdued the
beast, and had it in abject fear of him.
"Then instead of killing the lion as one would naturally expect,
Rodriquez took a strange humorous notion into his head. He would make a
pet of this same lion and it should be his dog to follow obediently at
its master's heels wherever he went. This idea he carried out and he
even had a heavy brass collar placed upon its neck, and it followed him
on all his trips, slouching with padded tread at his heel, or behind his
war horse as he rode abroad, like a powerful yellow dog.
"I do not imagine that the beast ever had any great amount of affection
for his master, but he no doubt was in great fear of him, which seemed
to answer the purpose quite as well. So, my friends, you have a full and
complete explanation of the coat-of-arms of my family. My only fear is
that I have wearied you with what could not have the same interest for
you as it does for me."
"Indeed, you have not wearied us, Senor," exclaimed Jo enthusiastically.
"That is one of the most interesting accounts that I have ever listened
to," said Jim. "I only wish I could have lived in those days when there
was plenty of adventure."
"I do not think that you have any reason to complain," remarked the
Spaniard laughingly. "Perhaps your descendants in future years will be
pointing out
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