new lions, new life

courtesy the british library (cc0 1.0 universal PD)

Not pets (I should hope not), but too strange and beautiful to pass up.  This illustration of lions breathing life into their cubs is found at the British Library, a manuscript cataloged as Royal 12 C XIX (citation page here): a bestiary dating from the 1st quarter of the 13th century.  Want to see the entire bestiary chapter?  You can.
What's even more charming about this is the deeper meaning behind the illustration.  Newborn lions were often believed to sleep as one dead for their first three days of life, until their parents roared to bring them to life (or, as here, breathed it within them).  This was used as an illustration of the Resurrection, not only of Christ, but of all those saved.  For examples of various bestiaries' entries on lions, check out this page over at The Medieval Bestiary.