Androcles and the Lion (play) run from his Roman persecutors. While hiding in the forest he comes upon a wild lion who approaches him with a wounded paw. His wife runs off. Androcles sees that the cause of the animal's distress is a large thorn embedded in its paw, which he draws out while soothing the lion in baby language. Androcles is captured and is sent to the Colosseum to be executed with other Christians in gladiatorial combat. They are joined by a new Christian convert called Ferrovius, who struggles to reconcile his Christian principles with his violent inclinations. The Roman captain guarding them is
Varjak Paw Varjak Paw Varjak Paw (2003) is a novel by the British author S. F. Said and illustrated by Dave McKean. The illustrations in this book have a dark "gothic" quality. The novel received the 2003 Smarties Gold Award for the 6–8 years range, and has been adapted for other media. Varjak Paw is a small Mesopotamian blue cat who lives with his family in the Contessa's house. Varjak has a brother called Julius, is always making fun of him. Because he has amber eyes instead of green eyes such as the rest of his family. When a large gentleman and