One good turn deserves another , you know . ' The prince thanked him for his kindness , and did as he was bid , and the two then bade each other farewell . ' I wonder how it feels to be a lion , ' thought the boy , after he had gone a little way ; and he took out the tip of the ear from the breast of his jacket and wished with all his might . In an instant his head had swollen to several times its usual size , and his neck seemed very hot and heavy ; and , somehow , his hands became paws , and his skin grew hairy and yellow . But what pleased him most was his long tail with a tuft at the end , which he lashed and switched proudly . ' I like being a lion very much , ' he said to himself , and trotted gaily along the road . After a while , however , he got tired of walking in this unaccustomed way -- it made his back ache and his front paws felt sore . So he wished himself a boy again , and in the twinkling of an eye his tail disappeared and his head shrank , and the long thick mane became short and curly . Then he looked out for a sleeping place , and found some dry ferns , which he gathered and heaped up . But before he had time to close his eyes there was a great noise in the trees near by , as if a big heavy body was crashing through them . The boy rose and turned his head , and saw a huge black bear coming towards him . ` What are you doing here ? ' cried the bear . ' I am running away from the mermaid , ' answered the boy ; but the bear took no interest in the mermaid , and only said : ' I am hungry ; give me something to eat . ' The knapsack was lying on the ground among the fern , but the prince picked it up , and , unfastening the strap , took out his second flask of wine and another loaf of bread . ` We will have supper together , ' he remarked politely ; but the bear , who had never been taught manners , made no reply , and ate as fast as he could . When he had quite finished , he got up and stretched himself . ` You have got a comfortable-looking bed there , ' he observed . ' I really think that , bad sleeper as I am , I might have a good night on it . I can manage to squeeze you in , ' he added ; ` you do n't take up a great deal of room . '
The boy was rather indignant at the bear 's cool way XXXXX talking ; but as he was too tired to gather more fern , they lay down side by side , and never stirred till sunrise next morning . '
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