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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Chapter 21. The Lion Becomes the King of Beasts
After climbing down from the china wall, the travelers reached an unpleasant land of bogs, swamps, and tall thick grass.
It was difficult to walk without falling into muddy holes, for the grass was so thick that it hid the holes.
However, by walking very carefully, they got safely along until they reached solid ground.
But here the country seemed wilder than before.
After a long hard walk through the bushes they entered another forest with trees older and larger than any before.
"This forest is perfectly delightful," said the Lion, looking round him with joy.
"I have never seen a more beautiful place."
"It seems gloomy," said the Scarecrow.
"Not at all," the Lion said.
"I'd like to live here all my life."
"See how soft the dry leaves are under your feet and how rich and green the moss is on these old trees."
"Surely no wild beast could want a nicer home."
"Perhaps there are wild beasts in the forest now," said Dorothy.
"I suppose there are," the Lion said, "but I don't see any of them about."
They walked through the forest until it became too dark to go any farther.
Dorothy and Toto and the Lion lay down to sleep, while the Woodman and the Scarecrow kept watch over them as usual.
When morning came they started again.
Before they had gone far they heard a low rumble as if many wild animals were growling.
Toto whimpered a little, but none of the others was frightened.
And they kept along the well used path until they came to an opening in the wood, where hundreds of beasts were gathered.
There were tigers, elephants, bears, wolves, foxes and many other wild animals, for a moment Dorothy was afraid.
But the Lion said the animals were holding a meeting.
And he judged by their snarling and growling that they were in great trouble.
As he spoke several of the beasts saw him, and at once the great group was quiet as if by magic.
The biggest of the tigers came up to the Lion and bowed, saying,
"Welcome, O King of Beasts!"
"You have come in good time to fight our enemy and bring peace to all the animals of the forest once more."
"What's your trouble?" the Lion asked quietly.
"We're all threatened,"
"The tiger answered, "There is a very dangerous enemy in this forest.
"It is a big monster like a great spider".
"Its body is as big as an elephant and its legs are as long as a tree trunk".
"It has eight long legs".
"As it crawls through the forest, it grabs an animal by a leg".
"Then it drags the animal to its mouth and eats it like a spider eats a fly".
"Not one of us is safe while this creature lives, so we called a meeting when you came".
The Lion thought for a moment.
"Are there any other lions in this forest?" he asked.
"No, there were some, but the monster has eaten them all. And, besides, none of them were nearly as large and brave as you."
"If I kill your enemy, will you bow down to me and obey me as King of the Forest?" the Lion asked.
"We'll do that gladly," the tiger said, and all the other beasts roared with a mighty roar, "We'll!"
"Where is this great spider of yours now?" the Lion asked.
"Yonder, among the oak trees," the tiger said, pointing with his forefoot.
"Take good care of these friends of mine," the Lion said, "and I'll go at once to fight the monster."
He bade his comrades good bye and marched proudly away to do battle with the enemy.
The great spider was lying asleep when the Lion found it.
And it looked so ugly that the Lion turned up his nose in disgust.
Its legs were as long as the tiger had said, and its body was covered with coarse black hair.
It had a great mouth with a row of sharp teeth a foot long.
Its head was joined to its fat body by a neck as thin as a wasp's waist.
This gave the Lion a hint of the best way to attack it.
He knew it was easier to fight it asleep than awake.
So he gave a great spring and landed right on the monster's back.
Then, with one blow of his heavy paw, all armed with sharp claws, he knocked the spider's head from its body.
Jumping down, he watched it until the long legs stopped moving, when he knew it was quite dead.
The Lion went back to the opening where the beasts of the forest were waiting for him and said proudly,
"You needn't fear your enemy any longer."
Then the beasts bowed down to the Lion as their King.
And he promised to come back and rule over them as soon as Dorothy was safe on her way to Kansas.