Just then she saw the young man appear in the doorway.

‘Oh, you are the girl who pulled the thorns from my paw,’ said the young man. 

The girl was very confused. ‘But I pulled the thorns from a lion’s paw,’ she replied. ‘And you are a man, not a lion.’ 

‘Oh, in the daytime I am a man, but when the sun sets I turn into a lion,’ said the young man. ‘I've been cursed by the giant who lives in this house and it was he who stole your animals.’ 

‘But why would he do that?’ asked the girl. 

‘Because he was very angry that you helped me,’ said the young man. Then he looked around, scared. ‘This is the giant’s house and he will be home soon,’ he said. ‘You should leave because it's not safe.’ 

But the little girl was brave and strong and decided that she wanted to help the poor young man. 

She waited until the giant came