The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-25

OF the tiger.
Il will ask the Devl." said the priest
when he had heard all. But what hast
thou. Santhal TO give her for thy life?''
What l have. Babu. is naught said
the poor wretch trembling Il am but
a poor jaugliwala. and ! have lost my
best bullock What can | do with one Is
it not better the tiger should eat my wife
and child and me than that We perish Of
hunger"
Thou hast a wife and child Sauthal
said the priest "ard thou hast a < Cd bow"
Then Raiandra Lal fixed his eyes on the
hdeous little black image over the door
OF the temple He swayed backward and
forward, and his eyes began to roll. Then
he spoke
SON IF the santhal. here the Dcyi: The
Ssuthal have forsaken my temple. and
withheld the sacrifice OF my blood, which
love Return. Sauthal. Bring thy child
to the place OF sacrifice Offer him on the
sacred stone and anoint thy arrows with
his blood. With those arrows shalt thou
kill the tiger. and for the beast thou hast
lost thou shalt have a better one. Fail
in this and the tiger shall def!e thy dwell
ing and sweep thee and thine from the
face Of the land
Staram trembled at the command of the
goddess. He laid two or three pics-all
the money ne had IN the world-On thu old
priests tigerskiu, and sorrOwfuiy made his
way home. He told Mana and Rebi the
command OF the goddess, and they. too.
were very sorrcwful. for little Rsmchand
was the light of their eyes and the joy OF
their hearts But where was Ramchand?
He had not been seen either by his mother
or his aunt. and they were in great fear
lest scme evil should have fallen him.
Suddenly the child, in the midst Of the
anxious consultation burst into the hut:
He had tale 10 tell Oh. he was quite
safe: no evil had happened to him. What,
indeed could happen He had the bow.
nearly cubit longer than he was high.
that his father had shaped for bin. Then
the little fellow drew himself w o. his full
height. He could shoot and nit q mark al
most as well as his fathe-. though his arrow
would not go so far or penetrate so deeply.
But then he had his ak, and the katas. or
knife Sitaram had bought for him in BirD-
hum He could defend himself even
against the fierce Chita. He had been 10
the field where lay the dead bullock, and
the tiger had not returned to its prey. He
had tracked the tiger through the jangal
but had come home to report what he haG
seen.
Sitaram and Mana exchanged looks. and
each mentally vowed that little Ramchand
should never. whatever might happen. fall
under the sacrifcial knife. The boy was
a true Sauthal learned in jangal craft be-
yUnd his years. and destined in time TO
become a comfort and support to his par
ents. Then they began to consult. There
could be no doubt that. since the tiger had
net returned during the night or the early
morning he or his mate. or both. would
come that very night Sitaram went out
10 see the state Of affairs for himself. He
found that his boy had reported correctly
His enemy might be expected that very
evening A low hanging limb Of great
tree. one Of the outlying sentries OF the
jengal, almost impended over the spot
where the carcass of the bullock lay. on
il Sitaram made sort OF perch small
platform from which to shoot his enemy.
His wife and his sister with little Ram
chand. had their parts in the drama that
was to be enacted. Armed with sharp
little SanthaH axes and rude spears for
their defence. they were to lie hidden in
an adjacent thcket, ready to help at the
proper time They carried brass dishes, |
too. by the beating Of which and their |
shrin cries. the tigers. If there should be |
more than one, would be confused and #!
frightened
The sun had hardly set when Staram |
took possession Of his perch. He squatted |
there patiently. wrapped in a coarse, |
brown native blanket. After all, accord !
ing to our European notions. this man |
e.. ,,.r.h
IViN9 - N'V'lv 800 -. III, n -
sL Oh I'I n oI t;,4 ,ai,,.I -, ,.fib-
,,,t IN - a. a. -, bo 70
t...r.,I maj l,oI.thin,. denrndad on |
IL lemon If arm and his eve must |
r,.,,,r-ar,d tba who'll s,ena az 4crior The
tioer rnisbt or might not spring on one Of !
the women or the child but they knew
tho risk as well as the man did. and they
took IT,
Tho pfobf was clear and bright and |