It looked good-natured, she thought;
still, it had very long claws and a
great many teeth, so she felt it ought to be
treated with respect.
Has anyone said to you lately, "Don't do
me any favors," but dazzled you with an
utterly gorgeous smile as he said it? You've
been exposed to the big cat. Don't worry,
you'll recover. What's a little scorched
spot here and there? It's not at all unusual
for Leo to display his arrogant pride and
his sunny playfulness at the same time,
which is why he gets away with murder.
Leo, the lion, rules all the other
animals. Leo, the person, rules you and
everybody else. (Yes, yes, I know he really
doesn't. But please don't tell him. It would
break his big, warm, egotistical heart.)
It's best to humor him. Then he'll purr,
instead of roaring and scaring you half to
death. The lion alternates between being
energetically gregarious and beautifully
indolent, as he stifles a luxurious yawn. If
you want to study the beast, hit all the
bright, sparkling places around town. At
least half the people you see living it up
in style will be Leos. The shyer pussycats
will be at home living it up. Leo hates the
dark and boredom equally.
If you see one who blushes easily make
sure you aren't getting a blush confused
with a flush of pride or ego. There's more
difference between a blush and a flush than
a letter of the alphabet. His face may be
pink because he's been dancing too hard. His
cheeks may be suffused with a rosy glow
because the love of his life just passed by.
But his high color isn't caused by
introversion or self-effacing timidity.
There are no introverted Leos. There are
only Leos who pretend to be introverts.
That's important to remember. You may find a
few lions who keep their ruling Sun dimmed
and go about being strong, dignified 164 and
determined quietly. Don't let that soft purr
fool you. Even the gentle Leos are inwardly
sold on their royal right to rule friends
and family as they peek out from behind the
curtains and watch for their chance on
stage. If you don't believe me, just choose
a quiet Leo who's pretending to be an
introvert, and attack his pride. Take
something away from him which he believes is
rightfully his, give him orders and show him
no respect. You'll hear that supposedly
gentle cat roar from here to the zoo. It
takes a brave soul to challenge him when
he's defending his rights and his dignity.
Some Leos mellow with age, but the lion
never really lowers his proud head. Never.
As for the physical attributes of this
Sun sign, just look around for people who
resemble a lion or a lioness, with a mane of
hair that sweeps back off the face, and a
deceptively lazy look. Leos walk straight
and proud, with the smooth glide of the cat.
The females combine lithe grace with a
hidden, quivering intensity. This last will
be disguised by a soft, usually calm and
steady nature. But don't forget that the
lioness is always ready to pounce if she
feels threatened. Her claws are sheathed,
but sharp.
You'll notice a commanding air and
stately bearing, as Leo looks down on all
the mere mortals beneath him. Ordinarily,
the movements and speech are deliberate.
Leos seldom talk fast, run or even walk
quickly (unless there's an Aries or Gemini
ascendant or Moon, for example). You won't
ignore the lion for long in a group. He'll
either get the center of the stage with
dramatic statements and action-or hell get
it by pouting and sulking behind the potted
palms until someone rushes over to ask
what's wrong. The sign produces its share of
blue eyes, but many Leos, especially the
females, have dark brown eyes that are first
soft and gentle, then snap and crackle with
fire, often round in shape and slightly
tilted at the comer. The hair is dark or
reddish blonde and usually wavy, worn in a
wild, careless style that upsweeps, stands
out fully on the top and the sides or is
sleeked down tightly, one extreme or the
other, and there's a noticeable ruddy
complexion.
Leos have a strange effect on people
that's downright funny to watch. It's hard
to stand in front of the lion without
drawing yourself up to full stature, stomach
in- shoulders back. I really don't know
whether we peasants do this in imitation of
the royal manner of the Leo we're facing or
to gather courage for a possible lecture,
for they do love to give free advice. They
have a knack for telling you with a slightly
superior, condescending manner exactly how
you should manage your life.
This love of teaching is why so many Leos
end up as educators, politicians and
psychiatrists. The exasperating thing is
that they're quite good at rationalizing
things and smoothing out the wrinkles in
your life. Too bad they can't manage their
own affairs with as much ease and finesse.
Still, this is what makes the lion so
downright lovable; his honest superiority
and excellent abilities, incongruously
mixed up with a terrible, transparent
vulnerability of ego. The proud, dignified
cat vulnerable? Yes indeed. He's deeply
wounded when you don't respect his wisdom
and generosity. To subdue him, simply
flatter him. Nine times out of ten, he'll
turn from a roaring beast into a bashful,
docile kitten, almost visibly rolling and
basking in the warmth of compliments. It's
this weakness which is the Waterloo for many
a stem, autocratic Leo. His vanity is his
Achilles' heel. Fattery acts like catnip to
him, lack of respect blinds him with rage
and both extremes make him incapable of
balanced judgment. There are some Leos who
control these tendencies successfully, but
they're always latent in the Sun sign and
present to some degree.
Try it sometime. In the middle of
receiving one of his lectures, interrupt
respectfully and tell your Leo friend he
looks positively magnificent in that
sweater. The result will probably be an
abrupt fall from dignity, as the lion
blushes and says, completely disconcerted,
"Really? You really think I do?" In most
cases, appreciating the intellect works as
well as complimenting the appearance.
Leo just can't help feeling superior and
behaving dramatically now and then. One of
my children has an August-born teacher. She
came home from school one day to say,
"Mother, my teacher is so funny. He's
awfully smart about everything, but
sometimes he runs around the room and waves
his arms in the air and shouts, 'I'm
surrounded by idiots!' We always giggle,
because we know he doesn't mean it." Poor
lion, even the children know his roar is
worse than his bite. It's only fair to
remind you that you may stumble on one who
has an afflicted Mars or Mercury with, say,
Scorpio rising, and then the bite will be
more serious, but we're speaking now of the
typical cat In many ways, Leo is extremely
astute. Hell seldom waste his energy trying
to get water from a dry well, as Aries often
does, which makes him a superb organizer and
a wise distributor of duties. His commands
are surprisingly effective when he tones
down the dramatics, because he can be a
master of the simple, straightforward
speech, even if it smacks slightly of
theatrics. Leo expresses approval
generously and openly, and can give almost
embarrassingly extravagant compliments.
He's not at all bashful about his
displeasure, either. Whatever he says, he
usually means. It can soothe or bum, but it
never fails to leave an impression.
The regal ways of this Sun sign are
splendid when the Leo man or woman is host
or hostess. They make you feel you are being
entertained in a royal palace. You keep
expecting to see a coach and footman pull
up outside the door at any moment to drop
off Marie Antoinette, or, at the very least,
Nell Gwyn and Madame Du Barry. Leos surround
their guests with heaps of superb food, fine
wines, beautiful women, and soft music. I
must admit I do know one lion with strong
Virgo planets in his natal chart who serves
diced cucumbers sprinkled with herbs,
parsley and wheat germ at parties, but the
other trimmings are luxuriously leonine,
always including the feminine guests. Such
pulchritude! Louis XIV never had it so good.
But after Louis XIV the deluge-and after
many a Leo's romantic dancing and dining
comes a deluge of proposals, passion, tears,
anger, apologies, and just plain sentimental
confusion.
Now that we find ourselves on the subject
of romance, which is a pretty common place
to find yourself when you're involved with
the lion, either in person or on paper, we
should note that you won't find many
bachelors or spinsters born under this Sun
sign. If you come across one, don't form a
definite opinion until you've discreetly
checked the closet. There's usually a
paramour hiding nearby any lion's lair. He
may not be married when you first meet him,
but he'll be in love, or just about to be,
or hell have recently broken a romantic
shackle, and will be wearing a pathetic,
lost look. The fiery pride of Leo causes
plenty of shattered love affairs and
marriages. A lion minus his mate is usually
a woeful sight to behold, but when his pride
has been injured by a lover or a legal mate,
he can drop his sad-eyed look and become
pretty fierce and wild instead. Still,
there's no one who can bear more in stoic
dignity, or adjust more courageously to
depressing conditions with sheer faith and
optimism when it's necessary.
Since forgiveness and sympathy of spirit
are part of the big cat's inner nature, the
reconciliations are about as frequent in
Leo's emotional life as the splits, once the
fireworks of outraged dignity have
sputtered out and he gets lonely. He's
almost continually in the throes of passion,
not just with the opposite sex, but with
life itself. Life without love, to both
lions and shy pussycats, is like a plug
without a socket. The Sun forgets to shine
for them when romance dies.
These men and women never lean on others.
Instead, they prefer to be leaned on.
Responsibility toward the weak and helpless
appeals to them. Leo may roar theatrically
that everyone depends on him and he's forced
to carry the whole load, but don't pay a bit
of attention to his complaints. He loves it.
Try to relieve him of his burdens or lend a
helping hand, and youTI see how quickly Leo
will disdainfully refuse your help.
Accepting financial aid is something he
especially prefers to avoid. Though he may
be broke frequently, he's always certain
he'll find some way to line his pockets
again soon. Very few Leos are cautious with
cash. You may find an occasional one who was
frightened by a bill collector at an early
age, and behaves as if he's headed for
debtor's prison any moment. But the typical
lion is a spectacular gambler at heart,
often wildly extravagant; even the rare cat
who pinches pennies will dress expensively,
and always look well turned out. He wants
first class and luxury all the way, and
he'll spend freely on fun and pleasure. Leo
will give money to almost anybody. If he's
asked for a loan and he's short of cash,
hell often go out and borrow it from someone
else before admitting that the King isn't in
a position to help his 'needy subjects.
That's a last resort, however, because Leos
are mortified to be forced to turn to others
for money, advice or encouragement. They
have enough ego to supply (heir own
encouragement, they're clever enough to
accumulate their own pot of gold-and
goodness knows they don't seek advice
readily. One seeks advice only from those
above him, and who is superior to the lion?
Leo often runs high fevers, is prone to
accidents, sudden, violent illnesses and is
usually immune to chronic, lingering
disease. Since they seldom do anything
halfway, these people either radiate
incredible vitality or else complain that
they're not long for this world, the latter
a typical reaction to lack of appreciation
and starvation for affection. Leos seem to
have either superbly strong hearts or some
sort of weakness in the heart area. They may
suffer from pains in the back and shoulders,
spinal troubles, accidents to the legs or
ankles, problems relating to the
reproductive organs and hoarseness or sore
throats. But they recuperate with vigor from
sickness, and their main danger is
carelessness about health or getting up too
soon when illness strikes. To stay in bed
and be waited on flatters the Leo vanity at
first, but when he realizes he's playing the
role of weak instead of strong, his spells
of incapacitation are quickly conquered.
There's no inbetween with the Sun-ruled.
They are either dreadfully careless and
sloppy or meticulously neat and orderly.
They rather enjoy gossip, and they feel hurt
or left out if something is going on around
them they don't understand. Leos are fixed
in nature. It's hard to sway them from a set
path, though they can sway others with
convincing oratory. They accumulate only so
that they can distribute to others, once
they've provided themselves with a
glittering throne complete with a soft,
feather pillow. They can show as much
ferocious energy as a steam roller, and then
be as sleepily lazy as the cat, stretching
out and snoozing in the sun. When they work,
they work. When they play, they play. When
they rest, they rest. Most lions have an
impressive genius for cheerfully delegating
messy and unpleasant jobs to others, while
they attend to important matters, like
deciding who should be elected President
and how the war should be won.
Surprising himself, when a real emergency
falls on Leo's strong shoulders, he'll carry
it lightly and never shirk his duty, helping
the defenseless, protecting the frightened
(though he may be twice as frightened
himself inside), cheering the melancholy and
tackling his true responsibilities with
courage. This is the inbred Leo nature,
which will shine forth after the playboy
phase has been tucked away with his gaudy
hand-painted ties and that guitar he used to
play.
The next time you're on the receiving end
of the lion's proud roar, remember the Queen
of Hearts who constantly shouted, "Off with
his head," white everyone's head stayed
securely fastened on. Remember the cowardly
lion in "The Wizard of Oz" who tenderly
nursed his beautiful tail in injured
dignity, anxiously searching the world over
for the gift of true courage, only to find
he was really the bravest one of the group
when the real crisis came.
Leo is a fiercely loyal friend, a just
but powerful enemy, creative and original,
strong and vital-whether he's a quiet or a
flamboyant lion, for there are both kinds.
He dresses in glorious raiment, appropriate
to his colorful personality. We overlook
his arrogance, his sometimes insufferable
ego, his rather ridiculous spells of vanity
and laziness, because his heart, like his
metal, is pure gold.
Brimming over with fun and generosity,
the gay, affectionate lion prances in a
field of poppies when his Sun is high in the
sky-and the dice he throws with confidence
bear the numbers one and four. Leo proudly
wears a topaz for luck, then pushes it too
far, but he has a true inner dignity and
grace that lets him carry his misfortunes
with courage. The warm, yellow rays of his
cheerful hope deepen to orange in the
sunset's glow, and his nights are bright
with a thousand stars.
Famous Leo Personalities
Gracie Alien Lucille Ball Ethel Barrymore
Bernard Baruch Bill "Count" Basic David
Belasco Napoleon Bonaparte Walter Brennan
Robert Burns Fidel Castro Julia Child Arlene
Dahl Cecil B. DeMille Eddie Fisher
Whitney
John Galsworthy
Alfred Hitchcock
Aldous Huxley
Carl Jung
Jacqueline Kennedy
Princess Margaret Rose
Mussolini
Ogden Nash
Dorothy Parker
Walter Scott
George Bernard Shaw
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Robert Taylor
Mae West
Young
TOP
" 'Tis love-'tis love that nukes the
world go round!"
When Gray wrote the lines about a flower
"born to blush unseen and waste its
sweetness on the desert air," he certainly
wasn't describing a Leo. You might see this
man basking in the bright sunlight, and you
may find him making flowery speeches, but
it won't be in the solitude of the desert.
Most likely it will be on a stage or in
front of a circle of adoring friends and
relatives. He may waste money, but he's not
about to waste his sweetness in the empty
air. There will always be an audience.
There you are, in a nutshell. The secret
of snaring the lion is that simple. Be his
audience. Totally different from the
reluctant Virgo and Aquarian males, your Leo
pal will happily succumb to the throes of
delicious romance, if you play your cards
right, adore him, flatter him, and respect
him.
Is he a flamboyant August male? Wear dark
glasses and submit to his brilliant
sunlight. Is he one of the gentle, quiet
Leos? Don't be taken in by his sleek
softness. Stroke him the wrong way and
sparks will fly. Remember, he's only playing
the role of the meek soul. Beneath his
courteous manner and patient fixity are
smoldering fires of proud dignity and
arrogant vanity, ready to flame up and bum
the pushy female silly enough to think she
can rule him.
The lion will be a chivalrous and gallant
suitor, tenderly protective and
sentimentally affectionate. You won't need
to lay much of a trap to tempt him into
romantic advances. One might say Leos
possess a kind of instant passion. Just add
opportunity-mix well with candlelight and
lush violins-and love's in bloom like the
red, red rose. As a matter of fact, you can
leave out the candles and music if they're
not handy, and just use the first
ingredient. Same thing.
If love is missing from his life, the
fiery lion will simply pine
away-dramatically, of course. He has to be
worshiped or die, and you can just about
take that literally. Leo males seldom spare
expenses when they're courting. You'll be
taken to the best restaurants, showered with
perfume and flowers, proudly escorted to
the theater and you'll tie a ribbon around
some pretty fantastic love letters. To tell
you the truth, you'd have to have a heart
made of stone to resist.
By now, you're probably thinking you've
got it made.
Think again. That leonine romance won't
be completely trouble free. You might take a
lesson from the pampered favorites of
royalty. Leo will invite you into his den
and warm you at the hearth of his big heart,
but the lion's lair can turn into a plush,
luxurious prison. Is he jealous? The answer
is "Yes," and you can spell it with big
electric light bulbs. You belong to him,
body, soul, and mind. He'll tell you what to
wear, how to part your hair, what books to
read, which friends are best for you and how
to organize your day better. He'll want to
know why you were gone for two hours
shopping when you said you'd be back in one
hour, who you met on the way, what they
said- and he'll even pout if you don't tell
him what you're thinking as you stare out
the kitchen window while you're scrambling
his eggs. After all, you could be thinking
of another man. Just don't ever forget the
force of his impulsive temper when it's
aroused. Teasing him by occasional
flirtations to prove to him you are still
desirable is absolute folly. He knows you're
desirable. He needs no proof whatsoever.
Besides, your Leo man is liable to flatten
your innocent masculine friends to the
floor-if not put them in the hospital-when
he's pushed too far.
All is not roses and honey in a love
affair with a lion, and that includes the
quiet pussycats along with the flashy torn
cats. There's no difference in the basic
nature. Every woman in love with a Leo
should get a copy of Anna and the King of
Siam and study it well. The Siamese
monarch was a typical Leo and youll get
invaluable tips from Anna's technique. First
the provocative challenge to interest him,
then final feminine submission after you've
taught him you won't be completely devoured.
Truly, her story is a must. Sleep with it
under your pillow.
Be prepared to balance his great
enthusiasms with calm reason and willing to
soothe him as he blows up problems intr>
hnop. (timensions. The eentle Leos do this
quietly, but what's the difference? Whether
he roars and rages because his employees
refused to obey him, or pouts on the back
porch because the neighbors snubbed him the
end result is identical. He needs your
stability to balance his irrational pride.
If you don't possess it yourself, your love
may turn into a constant battle royal.
You'll be breaking up and making up with
such speed that your astonished friends will
ask, "Where's the fire?" Where? Why, right
inside your cozy lion's den. .
Don't try to be a career girl. He'll
never stand for it He's your career.
The lion may permit his mate to go out
hunting for a few skins when the bank
account gets low, but she'd better make it
clear the job comes last, after him and the
home nest. He won't tolerate competition
from a male or an outside interest. If
you're brave enough to accept these
challenges, go ahead and buy your
trousseau, but be sure it's stylish. He'll
want to show you off in his own Easter
Parade, in December as well as in ApriL
Embarrass him by appearing in public looking
anything but queenly and you might miss a
familiar face in the church while the choir
is singing "Oh, Promise Me"-his.
After you're married, mated, and deeply
loved, count your rewards. Your Leo husband
will be as kind and good-hearted as King
Arthur, provided you let the family revolve
around him. If he gets the respect he
demands, hell repay it by pouring out
generosity. You may be told how lovely you
look repeatedly, he'll probably give you a
large allowance, and-wonder of wonders, with
his romantic disposition-he'll be likely to
remain faithful. There's always a better
chance of that after marriage than when he's
single, and I'll tell you why. The lion is
usually too lazy to chase pretty faces, once
he's found a lioness who will capably run
his kingdom, while he luxuriously snoozes in
the hammock. Hell play affectionately with
his cubs, protect his mate from all danger,
and thrill her with his ambition to rise to
a position of impressive superiority in his
career.
You will lead an active social life with
your Leo husband, as long as he gets his
beauty sleep. But there will be a few nights
out with the boys, and there may also be
some juggling of finances, due to sudden
gambling urges, or a chance investment he
thought would pay off. A Leo man I know once
bought ten shares in an oil well. Although
he was onlv one verv minor stockholder among
thousands, about twice a month, he would
visit the site of the drilling and look
important. When anyone asked him what he
wanted, he would tell them, "I'm just
checking to see how things are going with my
well." The drillers treated him with great
respect. They thought he was a member of the
Board of Directors.
Take it all in stride-there are
compensations. How can he scold you for
buying that expensive mink hat after he lost
the price of a mink coat in a little game
with the fellows or after he spent your
savings at an auction on two box cars of
folded cardboard cartons in assorted sizes,
when he took a notion to go into the mail
order business? (Then he couldn't use them
because it turned out that they were stamped
all over with the words "Rat Poison" and a
large skull and crossbones.) Keep him away
from auctions if you have to lock him up,
because he has an irresistible urge to bid
higher than anybody on anything at any time
He'll be quite the check grabber in public
too, cheerfully saying, "The treat's on me,"
with the money for the new freezer. Leo
would be right at home in Texas or Las
Vegas, where he would instantly be
recognized as a high roller (unless his Moon
or ascendant dictates economy).
There's one thing about the lion you may
find very handy. Almost all Leos have a
marvelous knack for fixing things. It can be
anything from a broken door knob or a
stubborn bathroom faucet to a tape recorder
or a complicated stereo hi-fi set. If he's
a typical Leo, he won't be able to resist
trying his hand at making something work
when it's on the blink. If all else fails,
he'll give the offending machine or whatever
a resounding kick in splendid leonine
anger, and suddenly the door knob will turn,
the water will spray like Niagara Falls, the
tape recorder will start talking and the
hi-fi will start singing. There seems to be
something mechanical about this Sun sign.
Lots of Leo men can take engines apart and
put them back together again, hardly soiling
their hands in the process. He's not the
type to let a hinge hang for months
unscrewed or a carpet lie on the floor
untacked. A surprising number of lions are
experts at making their own furniture and
building an extra room on the house with no
professional help. He may have his own
workshop in the basement. Don't complain
about a little sawdust on the floor. It
keeps him contented-and home at night.
The lion is the life of most parties, but
he's no fool. He wears the jester's mask to
get attention, and his audiences usually
sense they'd better respect him during his
temporary playful spells. Regardless of
appearances, there's nothing easygoing about
the inner nature of your Leo man. He's far
more steadfast and tenacious than he seems.
He knows what he wants, and he usually gets
it. He's pretty good at keeping it, too.
If you expect him to be faithful during
the courtship, be sure you keep him well
nourished with romance and affection or his
huge need for love and admiration will make
him stalk all over the jungle in search of
it. If your relationship is real and deep,
he'll probably be true to you, but his eyes
may wander a bit. Other than keeping him
blindfolded, there's very little you can do
about that. Leo appreciates beauty, so if
you're the type to get jealous over an
appreciative glance at another female, you'd
better get tolerant fast. A Leo man whose
lady love leaves him because of his flirting
will be honestly hurt and astonished. He's
entirely capable, then, of faking anything
from a heart attack to a tear-stained
farewell note to get you to sympathize and
run back into his big, warm arms, and hell
be so convincing you'll feel like a cruel
monster. Unless you enjoy emotional,
dramatic scenes yourself, it's much less
trouble to understand him in the first
place. His capers will probably be innocent
and harmless anyway, if you're treating him
right. Never overly sensitive to the
feelings of others, in spite of their basic
kindness, most Leo men are so wrapped up in
themselves that they can be brutally frank
and untactful. But his dazzling smile soon
clears the air. The warm lion doesn't have a
malicious bone in his strong, graceful body.
He may blow off terrifying steam, yet malice
is not a part of his make-up and he can't
cope with real cruelty (unless there's an
affliction in his natal chart). He will
enjoy sports, but as he grows older, he will
prefer to watch them from the comfort of his
padded throne, while you wait on him.
Not always, but very often, there's an
odd twist to Leo males. Unlike the
Capricorn, who seeks to rise socially
through wedlock, the lion sometimes tends to
marry beneath him. He has as much desire
for social status, but he just can't resist
acquiring a "subject" to whom he's superior.
Sometimes he makes a wrong choice, and the
shrinking violet who sat adoringly at his
feet makes a surprise move to grab the
sceptre away from him. When that happens,
the dethroned Leo is a miserable husband who
.wears the tragic compression of an exiled
monarch.
It's sad. but true- that Leos seldom
raise large families. Many of them have no
children, are separated from them, or raist
an only child. Too bad, because they make
warm, wonderful fathers, perhaps somewhat
too permissive between sten talks about
prope' behavior. Your offspring may chafe
under his demands and be bored with his long
lectures, bui they'll soon learn how to
flatter him into submission. He'11 insist
on their respect and get it, but they're
liable to wheedle him out of anything by the
clever usage of "Yes, Sir. You're right.
Sir." Therefore, the real discipline may be
up to you. The children may resent his
arrogant ways. but Leo fathers are almost
always remembered with affection in later
years. One tip. Don't give the youngsters
more attention than you give him, or you may
end up with quite a lot of trouble on your
hands in the form of a giant bruised ego,
which will be nearly impossible to heal.
How can you size up the puzzling male
Leo? Is he kindhearted or dangerous,
generous or cruelly selfish? Is he really a
sociable fellow who loves people? Does he
gain his reputation for superiority under
false pretenses, or does he, like the real
lion, deserve to be called King? Obviously,
by his own standards at least, he does
deserve to be the Lord and Master in his
love life and his career. You have to admit
that he's usually highly successful in both
romance and business.
Whether the Leo man is truly a king, or
just a pretender to the throne, we may never
know. But there are several things you do
know about your own lion. He has insatiable
appetites, and he's as proud as a peacock.
He has am enormous need to command and to be
loved by those he rules. Remember that Leo
secretly fears he may fail and be ridiculed.
It's a constant inner torture, and the true
source of his vanity and exaggerated
dignity. Yet, when his nobility has been
aroused by a great cause, he knows no fear.
Only then does the lion learn that the
magnificent strength and courage he's been
pretending to have has really been there all
along.
Your Leo may drive you wild by his antics
during courtship, but he's not at all a bad
mate for a long term possibility. If you
don't mind submerging your ego, and building
your life around his, once you've tamed this
man, you'll be adored and youll never be
lonely again. Besides, he can fix those
bathroom faucets.
TOP
* 'Tis an honor to see me, a favor to
hear:
'Tis a privilege high to have dinner
and tea Along with the Red Queen, the White
Queen And me!"
There's one thing the Leo woman probably
owns that you won't like. A scrapbook of
pictures and mementos from all her old
boyfriends. It's no use trying to get her to
burn it, because the lioness is sentimental.
She's not a wallflower. She's a
sunflower. Chances are she's ridiculously
popular, and you'll have plenty of
competition if you want her to descend to
using your name for the rest of her life.
You will be a few leaps ahead if your name
is St. Hoyme or Mountbatten, Cabot or Lodge.
Anything that sounds royal or noble or
important. I honestly can't imagine a Leo
woman marrying anybody with the name
Carbunkle or Smith. It's possible. Anything
is possible. But she'll probably change
Smith to Smythe.
Most likely, she'll be the social leader
of her group, lording it over lesser women
like a queen, but with such disarming warmth
and such a beautiful smile, no one really
minds. Perhaps the other girls sense she was
born to rule and dictate styles, customs and
manners. Anyway, it wouldn't do much good to
try to usurp her authority.
Nature seems to have shown some prejudice
when she fashioned the lioness with enough
vivacity, cleverness, grace, beauty, and
just plain sex appeal for at least three
women, with some left over. If you're the
victim of an inferiority complex, you'd
better set your sights on a bird with less
brilliant feathers. Don't expect to tame her
into a docile little maid who hangs on your
every word. The man who expects a Leo girl
to worship at his feet is living in a fool's
paradise. Consider yourself lucky if she
meets you halfway, respects you, is willing
to be your partner and allows you to possess
her emotionally. By the very act of
permitting you to love her, she's
practically knighted you, for heaven's sake.
Seriously, you could do-a lot worse. A
lioness is a lot of woman. She's rather a
luxury item, not available in the bargain
basement.
It pays to remember that the Leo female
can act up a storm, and pretend to be as
sweet and harmless as a bowl of jelly beans.
She may have a voice like a whisper, gentle,
courteous manners and big, soft eyes that
sparkle delightfully when she bats her
lashes. A Leo female can appear to be as
smooth and calm as a cool and placid lake.
On guard. That's just a role she assumed
because it got good reviews. Remove her as
the star of your love production, cast her
in the part of the understudy or second
lead, and you'll soon find out just how shy
and submissive she isn't. Of course, most of
the Leo women to whom you pay homage will
openly make it clear that they're too proud
and dignified to take any nonsense. I'd just
hate to see you stumble in case you get
involved with the other kind of lioness, who
hides hei claws, but sharpens them every day
just the same.
The first step when you're courting this
girl is to go prepared with gifts. It
doesn't make much difference what they a-e,
so long as they're expensive, in excellent
taste, and you're dressed properly when you
offer them. Then you should practice
different ways of complimenting her. Please
be original and creative. Phrases like "You
send me, Baby," and "You're really cool,
sweetheart," will get you thrown right out
of the palace, back with the peasants,
Vulgarity and slang both leave her ice cold.
Remember, you're wooing royalty. She can't
exist without flattering appreciation, but
keep in mind that she admires your
masculinity, and she has no desire to turn
you into a henpecked weakling. A Leo woman
couldn't love you if you weren't strong.
It's just that she won't permit you to
insult her with a condescending attitude. In
her mind, she is definitely not the weaker
sex.
Lots of Leo girls are athletic and enjoy
sports, but you'd be smarter to take your
lioness to the theater than to the ball
park. The stage and footlights will never
fail to magnetize and transfigure her.
(Better buy orchestra seats. Forget the
balcony.) Choose a play in which the heroine
behaves the way you want her to
behave that night, and your chances are
better than average that she'll act the part
unconsciously and never miss an inflection.
After the festivities are over, don't take
her to a hamburger stand and expect her to
sit at the counter munching french fries
because she's so much in love with you.
You're better off to take her out less often
to more glamorous places. She's not
necessarily a gold digger; in fact, she's
usually generous -she won't object to
frequent Dutch dates and she'll probably
shower you with almost as many gifts as you
give her. But she's just plain uncomfortable
in shabby surroundings. The poorest Leo
woman in the world will manage to accumulate
enough pennies to buy draperies for the
windows, rings for her fingers and bells for
her toes. Now and then she may go slumming,
out of curiosity, but only as a spectator,
aloof from the crowd. Poverty depresses her
and makes her physically ill. If you dress
like a slob and offer her a shack, you
haven't got a chance.
There's a story about a noble Frenchwoman
who turned to her lover in the gardens of
Versailles and asked, "Darling, do the
common people know this exquisite emotion of
love?" When she was assured that they did,
she cried out in injured surprise, "It's
entirely too good for them!" She was
probably a Leo.
Don't blame the lioness for her
occasional arrogance and vanity. It's her
nature to feel herself above the common
masses. People seldom resent it, because the
Leo woman who's warmly loved and respected
can be the kindest and most generous of
females, with a womanly compassion for
children and for the helpless and the
forsaken. You can't really expect her to
step down from a throne that's her
birthright. If she's a typical Sun child,
she's so gracious and dazzling that most
people gladly give her credit for being out
of the ordinary. Truthfully, she is. She's
intelligent, witty, strong, and capable,
yet deliciously feminine at the same time.
No one in his right mind could call that
common.
A little flattery will get you everywhere
with your Leo lady. You've already found out
it's her secret weakness. And here's another
secret, if you plan to marry her:
eventually, she'll tire of her gilded
cage and want to roam the jungle to see
what's doing with all the other cats out
there. Confinement inside four walls and
under one roof can soon rob her of her
sparkle. Let her have her career. Shell
wither on the vine if she's forced to be
just a haus-frau, unless you have enough
money to allow her to be a constant hostess
and an extravagant home decorator.
The Leo girl usually makes a jewel of a
wife. You'll seldom see her dressed
frumpily in a tatty bathrobe, wearing
curlers and wrinkle cream. Not that she
skips the beauty treatments. The typical
lioness will spend hours in front of the
mirror and a fortune on cosmetics, but she
wants you to see the results, not the
strategy. There may be times when you feel
you're supporting her hairdresser's entire
family. Many a husband of a Leo woman finds
himself pleading, "Honey, do you have to
spend so much money at the beauty parlor?"
But few lionesses like to do their own hair.
A shampoo and set makes them feel pampered,
and feeling pampered does something for
every Leo.
Unless she has a Cancer, Virgo or
Capricorn ascendant, you may have to watch
her with charge accounts. Leos easily slip
overboard when it comes to spending for fine
feathers, furnishings for the home or gifts
for friends. Her wardrobe can be quite
extensive. She can look luscious in evening
gowns, dripping with sequins and
rhinestones, or low-cut, dressy outfits. But
she'll probably prefer casual clothes and
sportswear, if she's a typical Leo girl. She
likes tailored cuts and rich materials, but
not necessarily frills and ruffles. Soft
cashmeres, good Italian knits and imported
English tweeds are her favorites. Her taste
is usually excellent, if a bit expensive. An
occasional Leo woman will overdo and bury
her sense of style in gaudy, shocking
clothes, but she's an exception to the
general rule of the traditional leonine
exquisite flair for fashion.
You'll find her a superb hostess when you
bring the boss home for dinner. He'll think
you're a genius to have won her. She'll
probably make a hit with his wife, too,
because the lioness is popular with both men
and women, and each sex gets treated to her
friendly smile and her outgoing personality
equally. Anyone who happens to be standing
in her bright sunlight feels the warmth.
Leos seldom cast a shadow.
As a mother, shell pour love on her
children generously and lavish affection on
them. It won't be easy for her to see their
faults, but when she does, she'll be strict.
Since she can't stand being taken for
granted, if the children don't respect her
she can pout in regal silence. Many Leo
mothers have a peculiar way of spoiling the
child without sparing the rod, quite a
contradiction when you think about it. She
may romp and play with her cubs, have long,
chummy talks with them, but shell also teach
them to snap to attention like soldiers,
polish their manners, and be obedient to
their elders. At the same time, there's a
danger of providing a shade too much
spending money, and giving in to requests
for luxuries. In a way, you might say she
treats her offspring like petted members of
a royal family, deeply loved, but expected
to mind their p's and q's, especially in
public. She'll be fiercely proud of their
accomplishments, and heaven help the
outsider who attempts to hurt them or judge
them unfairly. With all this, she won't
smother the youngsters. She's too
independent to hover over them every second.
She'll lead her own life, keeping a watchful
eye out for her cubs, from a distance. Many
Leo women are working mothers, but their
youngsters seldom starve for attention. The
career-minded Leos usually manage to balance
motherhood and a job with perfect aplomb.
There are times when she'll lose her
dignity and poise and become a rollocking,
playful lioness, with a flair for pure
slapstick. She can roar with laughter like a
healthy animal, but when the moment is gone,
the satin voice and regal bearing return. No
one can squelch a fresh remark or a rude
question with as much cold contempt as a Leo
female. She doesn't appreciate familiarity
from strangers. Although she'll clown
around and be surprisingly casual with
intimates, outsiders are expected to keep
their place.
In the area of faithfulness, the Leo
woman may remind you of the old toast,
"Here's to me and here's to you, and here's
to love and laughter-I'll be true as long as
you- not a single minute after." Enough
said.
Don't be jealous of her knack for being
the center of attention in a roomful of
admiring males. Heads always turn when the
lioness smoothly glides by. She feels it's
only natural for men to pay court to her.
She may encourage masculine compliments and
indulge in light, innocent flirtations,
because her deep need for applause and
adulation covers a strange fear that she's
not feminine enough and she must constantly
reassure herself that she's desirable. It
doesn't mean she's not still in love with
you, just because she smiles at your best
friend and tells him she adores his new
sports jacket. But don't try telling her
best friend you like her new 나 irt.
That's a whole different ball game. What's
sauce for the gander is not sauce for the
goose, to reverse the old nursery rhyme. If
she hears you call your secretary anything
much more intimate than "Miss
What's-her-name," your purring kitten may
scratch.
Of course, it's not fair. But if you want
to be the proud possessor of all those
gorgeous brilliantly-colored feathers, you
have to make a few concessions. After all,
owning a peacock is hardly the same thing as
owning a cuckoo bird or a cooing pigeon.
Humor her vanity. She'll probably be
important in her own right, because few Leo
women can resist competing with men for
prestige, if not income. Your lioness could
be anything from an actress to a surgeon.
One of my best friends and favorite Leos
is a well-known New York psychiatrist.
Granted, it's a career which permits her to
lecture and advise (Leo's favorite pastime),
but she gives her counsel with such a warm
smile, sparkling eyes and deep compassion,
her patients feel better just being in the
same room with her. Her husband pays her all
the respect and adoration she demands as her
royal right, but he has a profession of his
own to match hers. He's a gifted writer and
poet, talents which always impress the
sentimental Leo. They share equal billing
in front of the footlights, yet he's the
man and the boss behind the scenes. A
perfect success formula for taming the
lioness.
And that's the key to a smooth
relationship with your Leo girl. Don't let
her smother you-but don't try to top her.
Just paste a big, bright star on her
dressing room door, and puff up your ego.
You're quite a guy, you know-to have won the
hand of the proud lioness. Tell me, how did
you manage to do it?
TOP
"Tweedledum and Tweedledee Agreed to
have a battle;
For Tweedledum said Tweedledee Had
spoiled his nice, new rattle."
Remember the game you used to play called
Follow the Leader? Remember the little
fellow who always sulked when he didn't get
to be leader? If he was the same pal who
loaned you money to buy licorice sticks and
Eskimo pies when your allowance ran out, you
must have had a Leo in your neighborhood
gang.
The typical lion cub is sunny, happy,
playful, and jolly when he gets his own way.
When he doesn't, storm clouds gather out of
nowhere, along with a thunderous roar, or a
hurt, brooding withdrawal. Even if he does
seem to be a bit full of himself, the young
Leo shouldn't be constantly put down.
Suppressing his enthusiasm and high spirits
can cause deep scars that may darken his Sun
for years. Little lions and lionesses have a
habit of bossing the other children which
often annoys the mothers of more inhibited
youngsters, but they should be restrained
gently and never scolded harshly in front of
playmates. The great pride of the Leo reacts
violently to an attack on vanity, especially
in public.
It's good to encourage the natural
leadership in Leo children, but they should
be taught that everyone must have his turn,
because that's the fair way, even if they
are stronger than the others.
The leonine sense of justice will usually
cause the youngster to see the light. He's
not maliciously aggressive. He just has a
compulsion to head for the front of the
parade. These boys and girls have a strong
urge to show off, and it's hard to
discourage if it's allowed to get out of
hand. The little lion is the one who proudly
stands on his head in the schoolyard or
walks on a fence to thrill the girls. Wise
parents will begin early to make the Leo
child realize that showing off is really
very undignified. This normally works like a
charm, since Sun-ruled children have an
innate sense of dignity.
You'll notice it in the tiniest Leos.
There's a sort of regal bearing, which
creates the impression that baby is monarch
of all he surveys. The term "His majesty,
the baby" was coined to describe a Leo
infant. Little cubs will begin early to rule
the roost, wrapping mother and daddy and the
entire retinue of relatives around their
fingers with very little effort. It's the
oddest thing, but a small lion sitting on
his throne-I mean in his high chair-covered
with prune juice and egg yolk, and needing a
change of diapers, will somehow manage to
keep his dignity intact. It comes naturally
to a Leo baby to allow doting parents and
admir-, ing friends to pay homage to him,
while he graciously accepts their attention,
gifts, and nattering tributes. He finds
adoration very easy to take. Notice the
pleased, smug look on his face when
strangers stop to make a fuss over him.
Your Leo child will be more reckless than
the average youngster, take more chances and
be more active. Then will come those
periodic spells of leonine laziness, when
he'll lie around the house too tired to lift
a finger, except to motion for you to wait
on him. Leave him alone and make him
understand no one is his servant. If he
wants something, he can get it himself when
his energy returns. Otherwise, a spoiled Leo
child can become a regular tyrant. Now and
then, of course, it doesn't hurt to bring
him a book, hand him a glass of chocolate
milk or otherwise perform a friendly favor.
But a little such submission to the lion's
whims is plenty, unless you have a secret
urge to be a lady-in-waiting or a prince's
equerry. Leo youngsters who have been
trained that they must respect the rights of
others if they are to be respected
themselves can be lots of fun to live with.
They're as playful and affectionate as those
adorable little cubs you see at the zoo, and
like the cubs, they need strict and loving
discipline. The warm kiss and the tough
birch rod will both have to be employed
frequently by lion tamers. Either one
without the other is always ineffective and
dangerous.
There arc two kinds of Leo boys and
girls. The first kind are the extroverts,
gay, cheerful, outgoing, warm and generous,
if a bit pushy at times. The others are
quieter, almost timid on the surface. Such
outwardly bashful little lions may have
suffered a serious blow to their vanity from
domineering parents or from too much
attention being paid to brothers and
sisters. Secretly, they need power and
applause as much as the others. The danger
in such situations, if they're prolonged,
is that the Leo child will either get the
attention he seeks later in life by forcing
issues at the wrong time with the wrong
people, or retreat into painful shyness and
destructive frustration. Leo ego,
unnaturally bottled up for long periods, is
most unhealthy.
As youngsters, Leo boys may like to play
with soldiers and enjoy games of challenge
with a strong element of chance. The little
female Leo will be ladylike, if
strong-willed, may enjoy nice clothes and
being told she's pretty, and will probably
like being given responsibilities around the
house. An occasional Leo girl is a tomboy,
but vanity will eventually win out, and the
phase passes. Don't expect these youngsters
to enjoy taking out the garbage or clearing
the floors. They will rebel against menial
tasks, so assign them more important and
dignified duties that give them a sense of
authority.
Teachers can expect the Leo students to
do a little instructing of their own. They
love to explain things to others, and
nothing delights them more than playing the
role of substitute instructor when the
teacher has to leave the room. It puts them
in the spotlight. Normally, the Leo child
left in charge at school will administer
discipline happily, but now and then his
playful spirit will come forth, and the
teacher can return to find a three-ring
circus in progress.
Young Leos can leam fast when they want
to. They're intelligent, and are often
richly rewarding to the patient teacher, but
they have a tendency to be a little lazy
about learning. They prefer to slide by on
sunny personality and ingratiating charm.
Teachers can be a little sun blinded by
their smiles and compliments, and it's not
unusual for little cubs to get better grades
than they deserve. They may have to be
forced to develop good study habits. On
second thought, forcing is a waste of time.
The easiest way to raise the grades of a Leo
child is to appeal to his vanity, to make
him want to be superior to the others. That
will usually turn the trick. When he's good,
pat him on the back so he really feels it.
Light taps won't do. No matter how many
compliments he gets, he's always hungry for
more.
These children will probably require more
spending money than their more frugal
friends. Your Leo child may give away most
of his spare nickels, but he won't
shortchange himself, either. It's a good
idea to teach him the rule the Rockefeller
children were taught about finances:
"Give some, spend some, save some."
Especially the last
When they grow older, the young lions and
lionesses will notice the opposite sex much
sooner than youngsters born under other Sun
signs. Expect a turbulent adolescence,
because your Leo child will be up and down
emotionally a hundred times a day. Both his
friendship and his romances will be terribly
dramatic, and full of colorful ecstasy and
heartbreak. All Leo children love to go to
parties. Give them plenty of freedom, or
they'll simply take it. Harsh orders destroy
their pride and dignity. If you build the
courage and flatter the ego of your young
Leo by telling him sincerely you know he can
do it, he'll proudly be strong for you.
It's never an easy task to raise an
August child. There will be moments when you
feel your caged lion will never be tamed.
But he can be, if you remember that he needs
gentle and continuous discipline-and love
and affection are the two magic keys that
unlock his golden heart. It's not the lions
who were adored as children who grow up
into unhappy adults. It's the little cubs
who were emotionally starved and neglected.
Remember that he'll pretend to be very
brave, but secretly fears he isn't. Hug him
tightly every night and love him with all
your heart.
TOP
"Now don't interrupt me, I'm going to
tell you all your faults
It puzzled her very much at first But
after watching it a minute or two She made
it out to be a grin.
You have a Leo boss and you've worked for
him for over a year? Really? You must be a
very good listener.
Your Leo boss will probably feel that
corporate taxes, government regulations and
union rules were all invented as a personal
conspiracy against him, but he'll dispose of
them easily. Most lions are excellent
organizers and perfect geniuses at
delegating authority. His way of
implementing such annoying situations is to
turn to you and dictate, with great nourish,
some resounding phrases on the general
subject, then wave his hand regally, and
with a gorgeous smile say vaguely, "You take
it from there." Then he'll probably add that
he'd like the report completed and placed on
his desk as soon as possible. "Take your
time," he'll say. "As long as I get it
before noon tomorrow." Leos are not fond of
details. They prefer to paint the picture in
bold strokes and let you worry about
bothersome trifles like figures and
statistics.
The classic example of a Leo boss is one
I know who called in his secretary to
dictate an answer he had prepared for an
especially important client. "Have you
decided what you want to say?" asked the
innocent girl, shorthand book open, pencil
poised. "Yes, I have," smiled her Leo
employer. "Tell him maybe. Got that? Maybe.
You fill in all the other stuff." With those
masterful instructions, he cheerfully went
to lunch where he entertained several
people at an expensive bistro, played a few
rounds of golf, returned to the office
around five o'clock and wanted to know if
the letter was ready. It was. (The secretary
was a Virgo.) After reading it with solemn
approval, the Leo reached for the phone and
quoted the letter to an associate. His words
floated through the office door to the
long-suffering secretary. "How do you like
it?" he asked into the receiver. "I think I
did an excellent job of putting the whole
situation together and making it clear where
we stand, don't you? Of course, I've always
had a way of expressing myself. My wife is
always telling me I should be a writer," he
finished modestly.
This may be a somewhat extreme case, but
you will find echoes of such an attitude
lingering in the air if you have a typical
Leo boss. Give him all your original ideas.
He'll love you for it. August-born
executives tend to favor employees who add
creative thinking to the firm. However, be
prepared to see him grinning like a Cheshire
Cat the next day as he proceeds to organize
the plan you gave him the night before,
tossing out the startling comment, "It's one
of the best ideas I ever had." He honestly
believes he thought of it first. Truly. Of
course, you triggered his imagination, which
is why you're so valuable to him. But it was
his idea. Remember that.
Now and then your Leo boss may seem a
tiny bit ungrateful. Like he'll toss a huge
stack of letters on your desk because he
can't be bothered or bored reading them
himself. Then the next morning, when you're
bleary-eyed from staying until midnight to
finish the extra work he threw at you, hell
shake his lion's mane disapprovingly, and
mumble a comment on the sloppy condition of
your desk, as he walks to his own plush
lair. Oh, yes, he's almost sure to have a
luxurious private office. It may have soft
.lights, music, flowers, a down-cushioned
sofa and a cherry-wood desk. Even if the
budget is small, you'll seldom find him
surrounded by pineapple crates and dingy
window panes with no draperies. The walls
may be covered with excellent prints of good
paintings or photos of himself, taken with
important dignitaries. Any awards or
certificates he's earned will be neatly
framed, and hung in a prominent
spot.
Another Leo boss I know had an assistant
who worked overtime every night and all day
on Saturdays and Sundays for three months on
a special promotion. She also managed to
move filing cabinets, pack huge boxes of
merchandise and change the bottles in the
water cooler every other day. Meanwhile, she
found time to do her boss's Christmas
shopping and pick up his cleaning once a
week. One bright, sunny morning she
overheard him singing her praises to a vice
president of the firm. "That Hester is a
real jewel," he was saying. "I don't know
what I'd do without her. The girl is really
fantastic. Of course, she's a little bit
lazy, but you can't expect to find
everything in one person."
Did Hester quit on the spot? I should say
not. Why should she let a little thing like
that bother her? She's a smart girl, who
knows that anyone's efforts seem drab when
they're compared to her boss's fabulous
vitality (in between his daily beauty naps
on the velvet chaise lounge in his private
office). Why should she leave a boss who
never fails to admire her new dress? She
would hardly hand in her resignation to a
man who presented her with a topaz bracelet
for her birthday, a set of Waterford crystal
for her hope chest, and who so sweetly
understood that the color of her typewriter
made her nervous. He even painted it bright
yellow for her, though he was a little
sloppy, and some of the paint dripped on the
keys. It came off on her fingers for weeks
afterwards, but she didn't mind, because it
was a pleasure to wash her hands every hour
with the scented soap he keeps in the
washroom.
Her Leo boss helped her father find a new
job, paid her mother's hospital bill, and
generously gave in to her requests to hire
her cousin in the mail room. Besides, she's
proud of his reputation in his profession.
He won two awards last year; he's dictating
a book to her about his life;
he's listed at the top of the best
dressed men in Esquire;
he's deeply in love with his wife, adores
his children, and has caused the firm's
profits to go sky high, in spite of those
wild chances he took a couple of times. He
seldom notices if she takes extra time at
lunch. Last week, he found her a larger
apartment with lower rent and scolded her
fiance because he wasn't treating her right.
Quit? What do you mean, quit?
If you're a man who works for a Leo
executive, you have some special problems.
Be original, daring, creative, and hard
working. But remember that he will always be
more original, daring, creative and hard
working than you -Tn his eyes. Say "Yes" to
most of his brainstorms (and he'll Have
quite a pack of them in the course of a
week). If you must say "No," precede it with
a huge compliment and close it with another
one. Sandwiched in between that kind of
appreciation, he might accept it. But be
tactful and proceed carefully.
Even the gentler, less showy Leo
executives normally like to spread sunshine,
and have oodles of delightful charm. When
your leonine boss gets every last ounce of
credit he deserves, plus an extra helping of
respect for good measure, he'll make you
glow with his praise of a job well done.
He'll never be stingy with compliments. He
won't hold back his disapproval either. The
lion is apt to point out your mistakes with
very little discretion. Employees with
ultra sensitive natures would be happier
working elsewhere. So would those with
large egos of their own. There's more than a
trace of arrogance in your Leo employer, but
it's probably tempered with good-natured
optimism. He'll keep things humming and
running smoothly. Leos were born to
command, with an enviable talent for
assigning the right jobs to the right people
and seeing that they're finished on time.
Office intrigues will anger him. He
simply can't stand people keeping secrets
from him. He must know everything that's
going on. Don't be annoyed if your Leo boss
is a bit nosey about your private affairs or
gives you lectures on how to run your
personal life. It's really a stamp of royal
approval. It means he likes you enough to
want to protect you by giving you the
advantage of his superior wisdom.
Leo bosses can be very funny. They can
have fearful rages, and then pout behind
closed doors for hours when they think
they've been insulted. They melt under
flattery despite themselves. They dress
well, eat well and sleep well. They're warm
and generous to a fault, and if they get the
respect they demand, they can turn failure
into victory overnight with an awesome
strength of character. The lion gets
tremendous inner satisfaction from giving
orders, and delivering lectures is something
he's especially fond of doing.
You may have the kind of Leo employer who
hides his hunger for the spotlight under a
quiet demeanor. But the typical dignity,
pride and vanity of the Sun sign is just as
much a part of his basic nature as it is
with the dramatic types. Any doubts? Try to
puncture his ego in the smallest way; then
stand back out of range.
One Leo boss I had, who fell into the
quiet pussycat category, used to call a
special meeting of the entire staff in his
office every Tuesday morning. The ostensible
reason was to improve working relationships,
but the real motive behind those weekly
sessions was that they were the shy Leo's
big chance to deliver his thoughts to a
captive audience. Bless his heart, it was
his moment on stage.
When he's treated right, there's no one
on earth who can be as lovable as the lion.
What if he does seek admiration in huge
doses to feed his insatiable vanity? Most of
the time, he honestly deserves to be
admired. He may plagiarize your ideas and
rob you of credit now and then. You may
weary of listening to his condescending
advice and of telling him how super he is.
But no other boss would have let you keep
the baby carriage right next to your desk
that time you lost your sitter. Of course,
you would have preferred the time off to
care for the infant at home. But the boss
needed you at the office. And after all,
he's the baby's Godfather.
TOP
The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright-And this
was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.
If your employee is a typical Leo, it
will be almost im-| possible to ignore him.
If he's a quiet Leo, it wouldn't J be wise
to ignore him. The more aggressive lion will
force j you to appreciate his talents and
recognize his value by | simply telling you
how wonderful he is. The shy pussycat
type will pout until you give him the
same treatment. | It adds up to the same
thing. Don't ignore your Leo em-' ployees.
Whether the lion roars from center stage
or bides his time in the wings, he is proud.
He is dignified. He knows his superiority
and he doesn't want anyone to overlook it. ;
Leos are not the kind to hide their light
under a bushel. | If tribute isn't paid to
their vanity, both types of lions will find
another savannah to honor with their
presence. They can't bear to be
underestimated.
All Leos love titles. The bigger and
fancier, the better. ; Offer the lion a
substantial raise, but give the fellow at
the next desk the title of "Chief of Office
Coordination," and the lion won't thank you
for the extra cash in his pay envelope.
He'll be too busy brooding over the
increased status of his co-worker, who
couldn't possibly deserve such a promotion
as much as he does, of course.
It's not perversity that causes him to
insist on his rights. He was born to be the
master of all he surveys. Leadership is an
inherent part of his nature and impossible
to root out completely. Leo is fully
equipped to take charge. He feels useless
and helpless, as well as unwanted, when he's
not assuming some kind of obligation. If
there's nothing else available to build his
sense of importance, hell get it by handing
out free advice to his friends and family.
Strangers won't be neglected, either. Leo
scatters his pearls of wisdom impartially.
He'll tell you how much you should pay for
having an extra room built over your garage,
counsel your secretary about her alimony
problems, inform the cleaning woman what
kind of ointment to use on her sore toe, and
explain to the mailman how he could make his
deliveries more efficiently. The less
important he is on the job, the more
seriously he'll practice his counseling
service,
I know one Leo man (the quiet type) who
worked for a large company. For years, his
family had the vague impression that he was
the district sales manager. In reality, he
was an ordinary salesman and a route
supervisor, as well as one of the most
indispensable men in the company. Since he
couldn't be sales manager until the
well-qualified man who held the title had
retired, the Leo swallowed his injured
pride, and satisfied his leonine vanity by
allowing his family to assume he had the
position.
His enormous sense of responsibility was
evident in his consistent loyalty and
devotion over the years. He spent a quarter
of a century supplying creative advertising
ideas to the firm that paid off in steadily
rising profits. At the same time, he
competently supervised the company's truck
routes at all hours, in all kinds of
weather, and waited for the recognition he
deserved, but his promotion to the top
position was always just around the corner.
When the sales manager finally retired, a
younger man was brought in from New York to
take over. That was the day the Leo quit.
There was a heavy Capricorn influence in his
chart, so the situation was easier for him
to bear than it would have been for the
typical Leo, but he'll carry the scars of
the deep wound to his pride all his life.
There's nothing in this world as sad as the
sight of the dignified lion robbed of the
respect he desperately seeks and has
honestly earned.
You had better make a note that the
leonine sense of responsibility, which can
be so impressive, usually doesn't show
itself until maturity. In his youth, the
lion is the classical playboy, prancing
joyously through days and nights of wine,
women and song, wearing the flashiest
clothes in the group, making everyone laugh
at his clown-like antics and roaring when
someone steps on his magnificent tail.
It's usually wise to use young Leo
employees in promotion and sales. They're
natural showmen, and they'll keep your
customers happy with their warm, sunny
dispositions. Later, as they mature, the big
cats can gradually be eased into the top
positions, where they'll usually live up to
every bit of responsibility you give them.
It's a smart boss who knows at what point
the lion has graduated from the role of
playboy prince to the just, dignified king.
It's a strange thing about Leos of both
sexes. Underneath their brave fronts, they
secretly fear they have no real courage They
can behave with the most exasperating pride
and outrageous vanity, display insufferable
ego, exhibit periods of pure laziness. Then
along comes a crisis or emergence, either on
the job or in their personal lives.
Suddenly, to everyone's surprise, the lion
and lioness show themselves to be the steady
ones. Only under great pressure, weighed
down by the heaviest burdens life has to
offer, does the inner strength born in this
Sun sign come forth in all its glory.
Jacqueline Kennedy's childhood of ease
and comfort left people totally unprepared
for her incredible courage in the face of
unspeakable tragedy. The Leo with the
reputation of a playboy will surprise his
friends when he bravely and cheerfully
supports an invalid wife and two elderly
aunts after a thoughtless, carefree,
irresponsible youth. Those born under the
sign of the Lion and ruled by the Sun never
guess what awesome power they possess until
the test comes. Until that time, always
remember, they are only pretending to be
strong. The lion's fierce roar hides an
inferiority complex which is totally
unnecessary.
If Leo can't be the boss, then he must
have a position where he can display his
talents and abilities to the world in some
way. After changing jobs a dozen times
because he hasn't advanced to at least a
vice presidency, the typical Leo will
usually head for a profession where he can
be his own boss. If the role of executive or
leader is denied them, they're happier as
teachers, salesmen, doctors, lawyers,
managers, counselors, speakers, announcers,
actors, actresses, writers or even plumbers
and tourist guides. The lion seeks an
occupation which allows him to give his
superior knowledge to others in some
manner, or to stand in the bright spotlight
of publicity. They shine the brightest in
the fields of politics and public relations.
Keep in mind that the Leo employee will
either become an executive on your own level
in a reasonable length of time, or he'll
leave. He can never be content to work
behind the scenes. The applause he needs is
out front. Still, you're lucky to have the
lion for whatever period he remains with
you. He'll work harder than almost anyone
else to show you what a wonderful person he
is, and a steady supply of compliments will
inspire him to a point where he'll show an
unbelievable vitality far beyond the limits
of normal endurance. Withholding flattery
from your Leo employee will rob you of at
least fifty percent of his potential value.
See that your lioness gets her vanity
plumped up regularly too. Occasionally
bring her a yellow rose to tuck in her hair,
and never mind the whispers of the gossips.
You can't afford to lose her. The gossips
don't have her virtues and abilities. Tell
her frequently how lovely she looks, how
smart she is, and occasionally hand her
complimentary tickets to a concert or a
gala affair. Always two tickets, please,
because the Leo girl will invariably be
married, be in love or have a special boy
friend in all seasons.
As for the lion, take him to lunch often,
in an expensive restaurant, where important
people can see him with the big man. Let
both your male and female Leo employees be
the ones to train new workers when you can.
They won't mind the extra work, they'll be
proud of the responsibility and they'll
love telling others what to do and how to do
it.
A little astrological psychology,
cleverly applied, can make your proud,
touchy Leos a real credit to the company.
They'll decorate the office with their grace
and enthusiasm. Surround them with bright
lights, vivid yellow or orange draperies and
carpets, and the most expensive desks and
typewriters you can afford. Nothing
depresses a Leo's spirit more than having to
work with shabby, obsolete equipment,
unless it's working with pessimistic,
unimaginative people.
They'll need generous expense accounts
and a little extra time for lunch. Meals are
social occasions for Leos, and they use such
opportunities to practice their art of
promoting. Just give them the barest idea
to start with, and they'll explode it into a
dramatic campaign which may bring in lots of
new customers. You can't expect them to
operate at full speed when they have to
watch the clock and worry about money. Leos
can be fast with figures, but somehow they
seldom learn the knack of counting pennies.
As for the clock, it cramps their style.
The lion is easy to tame, when you know how.
Relax the rules slightly and let down the
bars a little. These employees can't be
fenced in, or they'll sulk away the hours
and lose their bright incentive.
It's smart to hire a Leo. He'll add a
dash of excitement and he can carry some
gigantic loads on his back without
complaining. He needs a rich diet of
compliments, authority, raises, titles and
freedom, but it's not too high a price to
pay for his intelligence, loyalty, faith,
ideas and sense of responsibility. After
all, how many bosses have royalty on the
payroll? Feed both your big cats and shy
pussycats plenty of catnip, and they'll
justify it by being your biggest boosters,
as proud of your company as if they owned it
themselves. The lion's heart is as big as
his ego.
"If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year, Do you
suppose," the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?" "I doubt
it," said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.
