One day the two brothers started to hunt at daybreak , but as the cat could not run nearly as fast as the lion , he had quite a long start . At least he THOUGHT it was a long one , but in a very few bounds and springs the lion reached his side . ` There is a bear sitting on that tree , ' he whispered softly . ` He is only waiting for us to pass , to drop down on my back . ' ` Ah , you are so big that he does not see I am behind you , ' answered the wild cat . And , touching the ball , he just said : ` Bear , die ! ' And the bear tumbled dead out of the tree , and rolled over just in front of them . For some time they trotted on without any adventures , till just as they were about to cross a strip of long grass on the edge of the forest , the lion 's quick ears detected a faint rustling noise . ` That is a snake , ' he cried , stopping short , for he was much more afraid of snakes than of bears . ` Oh , it is all right , ' answered the cat . ` Snake , die ! ' And the snake died , and the two brothers skinned it . They then folded the skin up into a very small parcel , and the cat tucked it into his mane , for snakes ' skins can do all sorts of wonderful things , if you are lucky enough to have one of them . All this time they had had no dinner , for the snake 's flesh was not nice , and the lion did not like eating bear -- perhaps because he never felt sure that the bear was REALLY dead , and would not jump up alive when his enemy went near him . Most people are afraid of SOME thing , and bears and serpents were the only creatures that caused the lion 's heart to tremble . So the two brothers set off again and soon reached the side of a hill where some fine deer were grazing . ` Kill one of those deer for your own dinner , ' said the boy-brother , ` but catch me another alive . I want him . ' The lion at once sprang towards them with a loud roar , but the deer bounded away , and they were all three soon lost to sight . The cat waited for a long while , but finding that the lion did not return , went back to the house where they lived .
It was quite dark when the lion came home , where his brother was sitting curled up XXXXX one corner .
So at because behind for if in near on towards