LION AT SCHOOL (3)

LION AT SCHOOL (3)

The teacher wrote the name down in he rollbook: NOIL.

Then she finished calling the roll.

" Betty Small, " she said.

" Yes, " said the little girl.

" Noil, " said the teacher.

"Yes, " said the lion.
He mumbled, opning his mouth as little as possible, so that the teacher not see his teeth as sharp as skewers and knives.

All that morning, the lion sat up his chair next to the little girl, like a big cat, with his tail curled around his font paws, as good as gold.

He didn't speak unless the teacher spoke to him.
He didn't growl; he didn't roar.

At recess, the little girl and the lion went into the playground.

All the children stopped playing to stare at the lion.
Then they went on playing again.

The little girl stood in a corner of the playground, with the lion beside her.

" Why don't you play like the others ? " the lion asked.

The little girl said, " I don't like playing because some of the big boys are so big and rough.　They knock you over without meaning to. "

The lion growled.
" They wouldn't knock Me over, " he said.

" There's one big boyー the very biggest, "　said the little girl.
" His name is Jack Tall. He knock me over on purpose. "

" Which is he ? " said the lion.
" Point him out to me. "

The little girl pointed out Jack Tall to the lion.

"Ah ! "said the lion.
" So that's Jack Tall. "

(つづく　3/7)