THEY COULD NOT TAKE IT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 295, 14 December 1936, Page 10

THEY COULD NOT TAKE IT

/ Historians have just unearthed the details of an incident that took place in the early Roman Empire when the persecution of the Christians was at its height, says the “Aliroir de Monde,” Paris. It seems that a Christian had been thrown to the beasts to make a Roman holiday, and in the arena he found himself face to face with three hungry tawny lions. As the first lion roared up to him, the Christian deftly leaned over and whispered a few words in his ear. The lion looked at him meditatively. then stalked away swishing his

tail. I lie second lion acted the same way, and the third followed the first two. The Emperor, astounded at the turn events had taken, ordered the Christian to be brought to him. “Christian,” he said, “I will grant you a pardon if you will tell me how you turned back those lions. They’re the pick of our stock.” “Augustus,” replied the Christian calmly, “there’s nothing to it. When they got close to me, I simply said to them: ‘Remember, lion, after dinner come the speeches.’ They couldn’t take it!”