The lion did something surprising after the guy saved it from a river where it was going to drown.
The sun was sinking, casting orange hues across the plains. After a tiring safari day, tourists were heading back to camp when one of them spotted an odd activity by the river. One great shadow struggled in the dark water. Upon closer inspection, the man saw that it was a lion. In a desperate attempt to keep afloat, the powerful predator and arrogant king of beasts was drowning in the deep river.
A powerful current greeted him in the frigid river. It appeared hard to drag the lion to shore because of its weighty body and wet fur.
With every second that went by, the man’s respiration became more labored. But he was motivated to move ahead by the idea of the beast dying in front of his eyes. He practically dragged the lion out of the water while holding it by the neck.
Finally, after a great deal of exertion, he managed to get the animal onto the bank. The lion’s chest did not rise as it lay still. The man knelt next to it and started doing chest compressions out of desperation. He repeatedly hit the powerful but dead chest with his palms.
His arms were tense and his ears were ringing, but he persisted, his teeth clinched.
Painfully, minutes went by. Then – a little gasp. One more. The lion’s massive amber eyes slowly opened as its body moved.
The man flinched. His heart nearly exploded with terror as the beast stumbled to its feet. He believed that the end was near. The predator in front of him was unable to tell friend from enemy. It would be instinct.
However, he could not have predicted what transpired. The lion stepped once, then again. Hardly daring to breathe, the man froze. The enormous beast abruptly dropped its head and licked his hands.
Next, his face. Surprisingly, its rough tongue was alive and warm. The lion appeared to be expressing gratitude to the man who had saved its life.
Man and wild beast, united by a moment of battle and despair, gazed into one other’s eyes. The lion then turned abruptly and strode serenely into the thickets, vanishing into the woods.
For a long time, the man stood motionless, his heart thumping. He came to the realization that he hadn’t just saved a lion that day.
