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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Notes
cruelly 残酷に;
dreadful 恐ろしい、怖い;
roar ほえる;
limp (歩行が不自由で)片足を引きずる;
thorn (草木の)とげ、針;
pierce (…を)突き刺;
paw (犬・猫などのつめのある動物の)足;
kitten 子猫;
lick (…を)(舌で)なめる;
arena 闘技場

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Once a poor slave who was treated cruelly by his master ran away into a forest and hid in a cave. Soon he heard a dreadful roar and saw a lion limping as though his foot hurt. Androcles went close to the lion and saw a sharp thorn was piercing the lion’s paw. He quickly drew the thorn out, and the lion began jumping about him like a kitten, licking the slave’s hands and feet. Androcles and the lion became warm friends and lived like brothers, sharing each other’s food until one day the slave was caught and taken back to his master; and the lion was caught and put into a large cage. In those days any slave who ran away from his master, when caught, must fight a lion kept several days without food. So when the next holiday came, Androcles was put in the great arena with thousands of people crowding its seats to see him die. (To be continued. From (To be continued. From The Project Gutenberg EBook of “World Stories Retold for Modern Boys and Girls”, by William James Sly) )
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