assemblage. He noticed ursine, lupine, and vulpine factions, but he didn’t notice any other lions. When he inquired about this, the tiger answered, “There were some lions, but even they were helpless to stop the carnage. The leviathan has eaten them all. But none of them was as large or brave as you.”

“Take good care of these friends of mine,” said the Lion with aplomb, “and I’ll go at once to fight the monster.” He said good-bye to his comrades and, determined to either return a hero or die a martyr, he steeled himself to do battle and proudly marched away.

A nocturnal hunter, the repugnant beast was deep in his diurnal slumber when the Lion found him. Nearby, a host of maggots feasted on the sinewy carrion of the monster’s latest victim. The malodorous meal sickened the Lion, but, doing his best to ignore the noisome offal, he approached the dormant enemy.

Its legs were as long as the tiger had said, and its body was covered with coarse, black hair. It had a huge mouth with a row of foot-long, triangular teeth, each of which, while rather blunt at the base, was razor sharp at the apex. But the spider’s head was joined to its pudgy body by a gossamer neck, and this gave the Lion a hint of the best way to attack the creature.

As he knew it was easier to fight it asleep than awake, he gave a great spring and landed directly upon the monster’s back. Then, with one blow of his heavy, sharp-clawed paw, he sliced the spider’s head clear off its body. Jumping down, he watched for a long time as the moribund beast’s long legs wiggled disgustingly. When they finally stopped, he knew the monster’s heart no longer beat. That’s when he became conscious of the hammering of his own heart.

The Lion went back to the clearing where the beasts of the forest were waiting for him and, with his leonine pride bursting, said, “You needn’t fear your enemy any longer.” An explosion of approbation filled the air as the great gathering burst into a triumphant paean. With adulation pouring from their eyes, they bestowed a deluge of accolades and kudos upon their new King. Following the plaudits, the largest tiger delivered a formal but spirited encomium, and the Lion, overwhelmed by the laudatory remarks—especially the commendation on his “meritorious conduct” and the descriptions of him as “a paragon of bravery” and “the apotheosis of courage”—felt his heart expand till it nearly burst. When the round of panegyrics was finally over, the Lion promised everyone he would return to rule over them as soon as Dorothy was safely on her way back to Kansas.

Chapter 25 “The Hammer-Heads”

While the four travelers passed safely through the rest of the woods, the Lion proudly regaled the others with a narrative, replete with gory, macabre details, explaining how he annihilated the monster. The gruesome images disturbed Dorothy, but at the same time she was thrilled to see