In ancient Rome, there was young slave named Androcles. His master was very much cruel. He used to behave with his servants brutally. Once Androcles escaped from his master and fled to the forest.
He wandered through the forest for a long time. Being weary and hungry, he sat down on the surface. Just then he heard a lion near him moaning and groaning terribly. Androcles tried to run away from the place; but he stumbled over the root of a tree and fell down. When he tried to get up, there he saw the lion coming towards him very slowly.
Poor Androcles had not strength to rise and run away. But when the great beast came up to him, Androcles saw that the lion was holding out his right paw. It was covered with blood. Looking more closely at it, Androcles saw a great big thorn pressed into the paw. Plucking up courage he seized hold of the thorn and drew it out of the lion’s paw. The lion roared with pain when the thorn came out, but soon after found relief from it. It was truly thankful for being relieved from such pain.
One day a number of soldiers came marching through the forest and found Androcles. They brought him back to the town. There his master soon found him and brought him before the authorities. He was condemned to death because he had fled from his master. As per the ancient Rome, Androcles was thrown into the arena, alone. He was provided a spear only to protect himself from the lion. The gallery was crowded with crazy common people of the Rome. Sitting on the royal box, The Emperor of Rome gave the signal for the lion to come out and attack Androcles.
A giant lion came out of its cage and got near Androcles. But instead of jumping upon him, it rubbed up against him and stroked him with its paw and made no attempt to do him any harm. It was the lion which Androcles had met in the forest. Androcles told the Emperor all that had happened earlier. Thereupon the emperor pardoned Androcles and the lion were set free too.
Moral: Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.
