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Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/265

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BRUNO'S PICNIC.
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"A great big Lion," Bruno corrected her.

"A great big Lion. And Bruno was ever so frightened, and he ran——"

"No, he wasn't flightened a bit!" Bruno interrupted. (He was evidently anxious for the reputation of his namesake.) "He runned away to get a good look at the Lion; 'cause he wanted to see if it were the same Lion what used to nubble little Boys' heads off; and he wanted to know how big it was!"

"Well, he ran away, to get a good look at the Lion. And the Lion trotted slowly after him. And the Lion called after him, in a very gentle voice, 'Little Boy, little Boy! You needn't be afraid of me! I'm a very gentle old Lion now. I never nubble little Boys' heads off, as I used to do.' And so Bruno said 'Don't you really, Sir? Then what do you live on?' And the Lion ——"

"Oo see he weren't a bit flightened!" Bruno said to me, patting my cheek again. "'cause he remembered to call it 'Sir,' oo know."

I said that no doubt that was the real test whether a person was frightened or not.

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