Talia

Androcles--a rewriting of the fable by Talia

As soon as I left an earring on my desk I knew it was game over.  My Grandmother rushed into the room when she saw the earring I could have sworn she had a heart attack.  Her face went pail and she screamed “GET OUT OF HERE!” then she fainted.

In a huff I gathered my very few belongings and left. I stopped at the door and turned around. I looked at my Grandmother’s pale, angry face.  I stood there looking at her for a while, and my frown softened into a smile.  Then I ran off.

“Arooo!” a deep moan shook the forest.

“Who’s there?” I ask.  My voice was shaking with fear.  I parted a bush and walked in.  Suddenly I stopped in my tracks because lying before me was a lion.  I turned around and started to run, but I noticed that the lion was not running after me. I’m a very curious child, so of course I turned around and walked back toward the lion.  I checked him over to see if he was hurt.  On the back of his left leg there was an arrow plunged deep into his skin.  I put down my belongings and slowly worked the arrow out of his skin.

The operation was slow, but I knew that in the end it would all be worth it. On my 729th delicate pull the arrow came out. The lion jumped up. He made eye contact with me, then he scampered off into the forest.

A week later, as I was trudging along, I heard a gunshot fire in the distance. A cold shiver rushed up my spine. The hunters were out again. I turned around and saw a hunter pointing his bow and arrow at me.  As the arrow came hurtling toward me, the lion jumped up and blocked it. Shortly afterward, the lion and me were trapped.  All of the sudden, two men grabbed my arms and pushed me into a fighting arena.

“Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!” the people shouted.

An iron gate opened to reveal the lion, who immediately recognized me and started burrowing his head into my stomach. I ran my hands down his silky head. The Emperor ordered us to come to him. I told him the whole story, while he just sat there and rubbed his chin. When I finished, me and the lion were both pardoned and set free.