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
_right_, which is always greater than _might_. Why don't you keep to your
own part of the forest? What right have you to be here, disturbing folks
at this time of night?"

By a mighty effort the Lion restrained his anger--he knew that to obtain
mastery over others one must be master over oneself.

"What _right_?" he repeated in dignified tones. "_Because I'm King of the
Forest._ That's why. I can do no wrong, for all the other creatures of the
forest are afraid of me. I DO what I please, I SAY what I please, I EAT
whom I please, I GO where I please--simply because I'm King of the
Forest."

"But who told you you were King?" demanded the Gnat. "Just answer me
that!"