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Androclus and the Lion

A fable retold from Fifty Famous Stories, by James Baldwin

This fable comes from Fifty Famous Stories Retold by James Baldwin, a collection first published in 1896. The story of Androclus (sometimes spelled Androcles) is much older, dating back to ancient Rome. It teaches that kindness is never wasted—even a small act of mercy can change a life. The tale reminds children that compassion crosses all boundaries, even between a man and a wild beast. This text reflects its era.

Band
Yellow · Emerging readersTypical starting range: ages 6–8
Length
medium · about 549 words in 6 sections · 4 pictures
Source
Fifty Famous Stories Retold, James Baldwin
First published
see the About page in the reader
Regions
Canada · United States

Included formats

  • · Web reader and PDF
  • · EPUB for e-readers
  • · Home-print sheet
  • · Folded booklet
  • · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
  • · Worksheet
  • · Quick Check (8 questions) with answer key
  • · Read-aloud script
  • · Colouring page
  • · Teacher’s Edition (members)

Lesson at a glance

Reading
about 10 minutes at this band
Pause questions
2
Words to Know
5
Quick Check
8 questions, with the answer key
Let’s Talk
3 questions for afterwards
Worksheet
questions, an activity and a drawing prompt

About 35 minutes with one story, all of it.

Readers are engineered from the original public-domain text with AI under HummingRead’s published canon and Content Philosophy, checked by automated audit and sampled by a person. Pictures are made with AI to HummingRead’s brief for each story. How a reader is made.

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The same story

Androclus and the Lion at other bands