There once was a slave named Androcles whose master treated him cruelly.  Androcles could bear it no longer, and one day he ran away into the forest.  There he came upon a roaring lion.  At first he was frightened, but then he saw that the lion was crying from pain.

     As Androcles drew near, the lion put out its paw.  Androcles saw a large thorn in one of the lion's toes and pulled it out.

     The lion was so grateful, it licked Androcles' hand and led him to its cave.  Androcles remained with the lion for some time, and every day the lion caught game for them to eat.

     One day, as Androcles and the lion were hunting together, they were both captured.  They were taken to the city and put in a circus.  For entertainment, Androcles was to be thrown to a lion that had not been fed for several days to make it as fierce and hungry as possible.  The emperor himself was coming to watch the show.

     On the day of the event, Androcles was led to the center of the arena.  Then the lion was let out of its cage.  With a terrible roar, it bounded toward the poor slave.

     As the snarling lion drew near Androcles, it suddenly stopped, rolled over, and licked his hand.  The emperor was so impressed by the unusual sight that he called Androcles before him to explain.  When Androcles told the emperor the whole story, the emperor set him free.  He also set the lion free to return to the forest.

     And so this story teaches us that a good deed never goes unrewarded.