t Assembly Hall, Mile
End, London.]

Far away in Central Africa, that vast land where dense forests and wild
beasts abound, the shades of night were once more descending, warning all
creatures that it was time to seek repose.

All day long the sun had been like a great burning eye, but now, after
painting the western sky with crimson and scarlet and gold, he had
disappeared into his fleecy bed; the various creatures of the forest had
sought their holes and resting-places; the last sound had rumbled its
rumble, the last bee had mumbled his mumble, and the last bear had
grumbled his grumble; even the grasshoppers that had been chirruping,
chirruping, through all the long hours without a pause, at length had
ceased their shrill music, tucked up their long legs, and given themselves
to slumber.

There on a nodding grass-blade, a tiny Gnat had made a swinging couch, and
he too had folded his wings, closed his tiny eyes, and was fast asleep.
Darker, darker, darker became the night until the darkness could almost be
felt, and over all was a solemn stillness as though some powerful finger
had been raised, and some potent voice had whispered, "HU--SH!"

Just when all was perfectly still, there came suddenly from the far away
depths of the forest, like the roll of thunder, a mighty ROAR--R--R--R!

In a moment all the beasts and birds were wide awake, and the poor little
Gnat was nearly frightened out of his little senses, and his little heart
went pit-a-pat. He rubbed his little eyes with his feelers, and then
peered all around trying to penetrate the deep gloom as he whispered in
terror--_"What--was--that?"_

What do _you_ think it was?... Yes, a LION! A great, big lion who, while
most other denizens of the forest slept, was out hunting for prey. He
came rushing and crashing through the thick undergrowth of the forest,
swirling his long tail and opening wide his great jaws, and as he rushed
he RO-AR-R-R-ED!

Presently he reached the spot where the little Gnat hung panting at the
tip of the waving grass-blade. Now the little Gnat was not afraid of
lions, so when he saw it was only a lion, he cried out--

"Hi, stop, stop! What are you making that horrible noise about?"

The Lion stopped short, then backed slowly and regarded the Gnat with
scorn.

"Why, you tiny, little, mean, insignificant creature you, how DARE you
speak to ME?" he raged.

"How dare I speak to you?" repeated the Gnat quietly. "By the virtue of
_righ