a lion roaming through the forest, got a thorn in his foot, and,

meeting a shepherd, asked him to remove it. the shepherd did so,

and the lion, having just surfeited1 himself on another shepherd,

went away without harming him. some time afterward2 the shepherd

was condemned3 on a false accusation4 to be cast to the lions in the

amphitheatre. when they were about to devour5 him, one of them

said:

"this is the man who removed the thorn from my foot."

hearing this, the others honourably6 abstained7, and the claimant ate

the shepherd all himself.