"But presently I saw weapons glitter on the other side of the square place,
and men with bended bows. The yellow king saw them also, and rose
up again and stood growling; then I strove to quiet him, and said,
'These shall not harm thee.'
"Therewith the men cried out to me to come away, for they would shoot:
But I called out; 'Shoot not yet! but tell me, does any man own this beast?'
'Yea,' said one, 'I own him, and happy am I that he doth not own me.'
Said I, 'Wilt thou sell him?' 'Yea' said he, 'if thou livest another
hour to tell down the money.' Said I, 'I am a tamer of wild beasts,
and if thou wilt sell this one at such a price, I will rid thee of him.'
The man yeasaid this, but kept well aloof with his fellows, who looked on,
handling their weapons.
"Then I turned to my new-bought thrall and bade him come with me,
and he followed me like a dog to his cage, which was hard by;
and I shut him in there, and laid down the money to his owner;
and folk came round about, and wondered, and praised me.
But I said: 'My masters, have ye naught of gifts for the tamer
of beasts, and the deliverer of men?' Thereat they laughed:
but they brought me money and other goods, till I had gotten
far more than I had given for the lion.
"Howbeit the next day the officers of the Porte came and bade
me avoid the town of Goldburg, but gave me more money withal.
I was not loth thereto, but departed, riding a little horse
that I had, and leading my lion by a chain, though when I
was by he needed little chaining.
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