Androcles and the Lion
April 2009
The Leopard Tale
by Cecilia Penny
Lang lang syne an hine awa lived a laddie ca’d Androcles. Noo, in thon days, the Romans were the maisters o a the countries aroon the sea we ca noo the ‘Mediterranean’. Onywey, this laddie wis a slave belongin tae a Roman family. He hid been taen fae his Mam an his Dad in Greece, efter some fecht or ither, an wis cairried aff a lang wey fae hame – a the wey tae Africa.
His maister wis a cruel, coorse mannie, easily kittled, fa made the laddie work affa hard. Androcles got lots o skelpins an leatherins. He wis a gweed loon an weel brocht up, bit, fooiver eident he wis at his wark, he coodna please his maister. He affen hid a greet tae himsel an winted tae escape, far awa fae the beatins and sweerin.
Bit, tho he didna like his maister, he wis rale fond o his maister’s dogs. They loved the little slavie an he cuddled up tae them files for comfort. Peer laddie! Far fae hame, an a his leen, in at affa place!
Bit ae dark nicht, he wis sittin greetin efter yet anither beatin fae his maister, fan he took tae his heels an ran awa, oot o the toon an heidit for the desert placies. An he ran an ran an ran till, fan mornin cam, the sun wis abeen his heid an he wis far awa fae his maister’s hoose.
Noo at first, it wis wonderful tae be free. Bit afore lang, he foun the African desert an affa place. The sun beat doon on him an scorched his skin and prickly bushes tore at his legs. He trauchled on, barfit an bleedin. At last he cam tae a cave, an thankfully he crawled inside it an lay doon in the shade. He wis exhausted an hid a wee sleep.
A lion – hirplin on three legs
Hooiver, he awoke tae a frichtening, roarin, soun. A great big lion stood at the moo o the cave lookin at him . Androcles wis feart and shakin! Fit wid he dee?
The lion moved awa a bittie an he noticed that it wis hirplin on three legs. The ither paw wis held up aff the grun. The big beast kept tryin tae lick it, jist like a doggie wi an injured paw, an aye giein anither awesome roar.
Suddenly, the laddie saw the lion wis roaring wi pain, nae anger. Androcles forgot a aboot being scared an felt sorry for the beastie. He wint richt up tae the lion. It lifted his paw wi a whimper an Androcles saw there wis a muckle stob in the pad o his fit. He pulled it oot, cannily an gentle like, an gied the beast a gentle tickle ahin the lugs as he used tae dae tae his maister’s dogs. An the lion gied his han a lick, grateful tae this slavie laddie fa hid taen awa his pain.
Then the lion trotted awa across the desert, an efter a whilie the muckle beast cam back wi a rabbit and drapped it at Androcles’ feet. They became great pals an lived side by side in the cave for some years. The lion shared a the food he had hunted wi Androcles and the laddie looked efter the beast. He felt fine an safe as he cuddled up to the warm beast every nicht.
Ae bonnie day the lion wint oot tae hunt as usual, bit this time it niver cam back tae the cave. Androcles waited an waited a lang time, bit his animal frien niver cam back. The loon kent there hid been some mishanter. Efter a whilie he wis stairvin an affa lonely a bi himsel. He wis forced tae leave the cave.
He traivelt tae the coast, far he kent he wid find ither folk. He wis desperate for some food. Bit losh be here, some Roman soldiers nabbit him, kenning he wis a runaway slave. He wis pit in chains and thrown on tae a slave ship bound for Rome.
The peer loon wis telt he wis condemned tae die, tae be torn tae pieces bi wild animals in the muckle Arena in Rome. This wid happen on the first public holiday, fan the folk liked entertainment. Androcles wisna lauchin. He wis rale feart!
The Romans eesed tae keep their wild beasts withoot food and tiraneesed them until they were fierce as onything. Ye see, the spectators – the maisters an toon folk – thocht this wis great fun tae watch the victims fecht tae the death in thon cruel days.
Weel, the affa day cam fan Androcles wis brocht oot o the prison and wis ready tae be thrown inta the arena. He wis shakin wi fear, kennin he hid nae chunce o survivin. A mannie pit a spear inta his hand an shoved him inta the arena.
“Dae yer best and ye micht be lucky. The Emperor is here and he likes a gweed fecht. He micht set ye free. He’s like at, ye ken!”
The laddie didna feel lucky ava, an he backit awa as a huge lion cam boundin inta the arena, roarin an growlin an ready tae crunch him up. The lion wis ready tae spring at him, fan somethin affa funny happened. The beast lifted his heid and sniffed the air, an, instead o boundin at Androcles, it jist lay doon aside him fine an peaceful like.
It wis the same lion that hid shared life in the African cave wi him. Greetin wi relief an delight, Androcles flung his airms aroun the beast an it licked his face.
The Emperor wis fair delighted
Noo can ye imagine fit the crowds sittin aroon the arena thocht? They hid niver seen onything like this afore an they cheered an cheered the laddie and his friendly lion.
The Emperor thocht that Androcles wis a sorcerer, bit he listened tae his story of lang ago, foo Androcles hid taen a stob oot o the lion’s sair fit, an foo they becam great pals, bidin in a muckle cave an lookin efter ane anither.
The Emperor listent foo the lion hid vanished ae day an maun hae been captured, like Androcles himsel. Baith hid been shipped tae Rome. In the Arena they hid jist found ane anither again, as abody saw.
The Emperor wis fair delighted at the tale and said: “The lion and the boy are gan tae be freed forthwith, on my orders, and onybody that hairms them will be thrown to the lions!”
Androcles wis gien some money for entertainin the Emperor sae weel wi his story.
The loon and the lion lived in Rome for a lang, lang time. They wid walk through the streets, the lion followin Androcles jist like a huge dog, an they looked efter ane anither, jist as they hid daen in the cave far awa in Africa.
An a the folk in the toun o Rome fa watched them wanderin past wid pint at them an say: “ There gangs the Lion and his frien Androcles.”
Cecilia ‘Bunty’ Penny, née Rennie, a farm girl from Newmachar, educated at Ellon Academy and Aberdeen University. Married Alan Bruce Penny in Montreal; widowed now and living in Stuartfield beside the Dam. Started the Ythan Speakers Club and the local Epilepsy Group. Belongs to the Buchan Field Club and Buchan Heritage Society. Loves to sing and tell stories.
This is an article from the April 2009 edition of Leopard Magazine. To read much more like this every month, see our subscription details.