The Lion in Love

A LION demanded the daughter of a woodcutter in marriage. The Father, unwilling to grant, and yet afraid to refuse his request, hit upon this expedient to rid himself of his importunities. He expressed his willingness to accept the Lion as the suitor of his daughter on one condition: that he should allow him to extract his teeth, and cut off his claws, as his daughter was fearfully afraid of both. The Lion cheerfully assented to the proposal. But when the toothless, clawless Lion returned to repeat his request, the Woodman, no longer afraid, set upon him with his club, and drove him away into the forest.

ライオンが、きこりの娘を嫁にほしいと申しこんだ。父親は承知したくはなかったが、かといって断るのもこわかったので、しつこい申しこみからのがれるために、こんな手を思いついた。娘はライオンの歯とつめをひどくこわがっているので、歯をぬき、つめを切らせてくれるなら、娘のむこ候補として認めてもよい、という条件を出したのである。ライオンはよろこんでその申し出に応じた。ところが、歯もつめもなくなったライオンがもう一度申しこみにやって来ると、きこりはもうこわがることもなく、こん棒でライオンにおそいかかり、森の中へと追いはらってしまった。