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Copyright, 1907, by
THE CENTURY CO.
Published October, 1907
Printed in U. S. A.
I AM very fond of this story of the Cozy Lion because I consider
it a great credit to me. I reformed that Lion and taught him how
to behave himself. The grown-up person who reads this story aloud
to children MUST know how to Roar.
THE COZY LION
I SHALL never forget the scolding I gave him to begin with. Oneof the advantages of being a Fairy even quite a common one isthat Lions can't bite you. A Fairy is too little and too light.If they snap at you it's easy to fly through their mouths, andeven if they catch you, if you just get behind their teeth youcan make them so uncomfortable that they will beg you to get outand leave them in peace.
Of course it was all the Lion's fault that I scolded him. Lionsought to live far away from people. Nobody likes Lions roamingabout—particularly where there are children. But this Lion said hewanted to get into Society, and that he was very fond of children—little fat ones between three and four. So instead of living on adesert, or in a deep forest or a jungle he took the large Cave onthe Huge Green Hill, only a few miles from a village full of thefattest, rosiest little children you ever saw.
He had only been living in the Cave a few days, but even in thatshort time the mothers and fathers had found out he was there, andeverybody who could afford it had bought a gun and snatched it upeven if they sa