Notes
escape 逃げる;
boldly 大胆に、勇敢に;
fierce 凶暴な;
shield 〈…を〉〔…から〕保護する;
tear 破る;

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One day in the town of Weser, in Germany, a boy was playing with his little sister, four years old. Suddenly the boy saw rushing down the hill a mad dog followed by men, trying to stop it. In a moment the boy saw that the dog was running directly toward his little sister. Not thinking for a moment of his own danger, or escape, this brave boy in a flash threw off his coat, wrapped it around his arm, and boldly faced the fierce dog. Holding out his arm, shielded by the coat, the boy turned the dog’s attention to himself, so that the wild beast jumped at him and worried him until the men came up and killed the dog. The men said, “Why did you not run away from the dog? You could easily have done it.” “Yes,” answered the boy, “but if I had he would have attacked my sister. I thought I would let the dog tear my coat instead of her!”
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Notes
spring (ばねのように急にすばやく)跳ぶ;
crouch かがむ;

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When all was ready a door in the cage was opened, and out bounded the lion ready to spring upon the poor slave. With a tremendous roar the lion dashed toward him, but to the surprise of all the people, instead of hurting him, the lion crouched down at his feet like a pet dog and began to lick the slave’s hands and feet. The people cried, “O Androcles, what does this mean?” Then Androcles put his arms around the lion’s neck and said, “O people, in the forest I pulled a thorn out of this lion’s foot, and that is why he does not hurt me now.” The people were delighted and shouted, “Androcles shall be free! Androcles shall be free!” So Androcles and the lion were set free and lived togethe like brothers long afterward. (From The Project Gutenberg EBook of World Stories Retold for Modern Boys and Girls, by William James Sly)
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