05-tiger,tiger-第3部分

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They　charged　down　on　him；　and　he　ran　just　before　them　to　the　foot

of　the　ravine；　as　Akela　drove　the　bulls　far　to　the　left。



〃Well　done！　　Another　charge　and　they　are　fairly　started。

Careful；　nowcareful；　Akela。　　A　snap　too　much　and　the　bulls

will　charge。　　Hujah！　　This　is　wilder　work　than　driving　black…buck。

Didst　thou　think　these　creatures　could　move　so　swiftly？〃　　Mowgli

called。



〃I　havehave　hunted　these　too　in　my　time；〃　gasped　Akela　in

the　dust。　　〃Shall　I　turn　them　into　the　jungle？〃



〃Ay！　　Turn。　　Swiftly　turn　them！　　Rama　is　mad　with　rage。　　Oh；

if　I　could　only　tell　him　what　I　need　of　him　to…day。〃



The　bulls　were　turned；　to　the　right　this　time；　and　crashed

into　the　standing　thicket。　　The　other　herd　children；　watching　with

the　cattle　half　a　mile　away；　hurried　to　the　village　as　fast　as

their　legs　could　carry　them；　crying　that　the　buffaloes　had　gone

mad　and　run　away。



But　Mowgli's　plan　was　simple　enough。　　All　he　wanted　to　do　was

to　make　a　big　circle　uphill　and　get　at　the　head　of　the　ravine；　and

then　take　the　bulls　down　it　and　catch　Shere　Khan　between　the　bulls

and　the　cows；　for　he　knew　that　after　a　meal　and　a　full　drink　Shere

Khan　would　not　be　in　any　condition　to　fight　or　to　clamber　up　the

sides　of　the　ravine。　　He　was　soothing　the　buffaloes　now　by　voice；

and　Akela　had　dropped　far　to　the　rear；　only　whimpering　once　or

twice　to　hurry　the　rear…guard。　　It　was　a　long；　long　circle；　for

they　did　not　wish　to　get　too　near　the　ravine　and　give　Shere　Khan

warning。　　At　last　Mowgli　rounded　up　the　bewildered　herd　at　the

head　of　the　ravine　on　a　grassy　patch　that　sloped　steeply　down　to

the　ravine　itself。　　From　that　height　you　could　see　across　the　tops

of　the　trees　down　to　the　plain　below；　but　what　Mowgli　looked　at

was　the　sides　of　the　ravine；　and　he　saw　with　a　great　deal　of

satisfaction　that　they　ran　nearly　straight　up　and　down；　while　the

vines　and　creepers　that　hung　over　them　would　give　no　foothold　to　a

tiger　who　wanted　to　get　out。



〃Let　them　breathe；　Akela；〃　he　said；　holding　up　his　hand。

〃They　have　not　winded　him　yet。　　Let　them　breathe。　　I　must　tell

Shere　Khan　who　comes。　　We　have　him　in　the　trap。〃



He　put　his　hands　to　his　mouth　and　shouted　down　the　ravine

it　was　almost　like　shouting　down　a　tunneland　the　echoes　jumped

from　rock　to　rock。



After　a　long　time　there　came　back　the　drawling；　sleepy　snarl

of　a　full…fed　tiger　just　wakened。



〃Who　calls？〃　said　Shere　Khan；　and　a　splendid　peacock　fluttered

up　out　of　the　ravine　screeching。



〃I；　Mowgli。　　Cattle　thief；　it　is　time　to　come　to　the　Council

Rock！　　Downhurry　them　down；　Akela！　　Down；　Rama；　down！〃



The　herd　paused　for　an　instant　at　the　edge　of　the　slope；　but

Akela　gave　tongue　in　the　full　hunting…yell；　and　they　pitched　over

one　after　the　other；　just　as　steamers　shoot　rapids；　the　sand　and

stones　spurting　up　round　them。　　Once　started；　there　was　no　chance

of　stopping；　and　before　they　were　fairly　in　the　bed　of　the　ravine

Rama　winded　Shere　Khan　and　bellowed。



〃Ha！　　Ha！〃　said　Mowgli；　on　his　back。　　〃Now　thou　knowest！〃　and

the　torrent　of　black　horns；　foaming　muzzles；　and　staring　eyes

whirled　down　the　ravine　just　as　boulders　go　down　in　floodtime；　the

weaker　buffaloes　being　shouldered　out　to　the　sides　of　the　ravine

where　they　tore　through　the　creepers。　　They　knew　what　the　business

was　before　themthe　terrible　charge　of　the　buffalo　herd　against

which　no　tiger　can　hope　to　stand。　　Shere　Khan　heard　the　thunder　of

their　hoofs；　picked　himself　up；　and　lumbered　down　the　ravine；

looking　from　side　to　side　for　some　way　of　escape；　but　the　walls　of

the　ravine　were　straight　and　he　had　to　hold　on；　heavy　with　his

dinner　and　his　drink；　willing　to　do　anything　rather　than　fight。

The　herd　splashed　through　the　pool　he　had　just　left；　bellowing

till　the　narrow　cut　rang。　　Mowgli　heard　an　answering　bellow　from

the　foot　of　the　ravine；　saw　Shere　Khan　turn　（the　tiger　knew　if　the

worst　came　to　the　worst　it　was　better　to　meet　the　bulls　than　the

cows　with　their　calves）；　and　then　Rama　tripped；　stumbled；　and　went

on　again　over　something　soft；　and；　with　the　bulls　at　his　heels；

crashed　full　into　the　other　herd；　while　the　weaker　buffaloes　were

lifted　clean　off　their　feet　by　the　shock　of　the　meeting。　　That

charge　carried　both　herds　out　into　the　plain；　goring　and　stamping

and　snorting。　　Mowgli　watched　his　time；　and　slipped　off　Rama's

neck；　laying　about　him　right　and　left　with　his　stick。



〃Quick；　Akela！　　Break　them　up。　　Scatter　them；　or　they　will　be

fighting　one　another。　　Drive　them　away；　Akela。　　Hai；　Rama！　　Hai；

hai；　hai！　my　children。　　Softly　now；　softly！　　It　is　all　over。〃



Akela　and　Gray　Brother　ran　to　and　fro　nipping　the　buffaloes'

legs；　and　though　the　herd　wheeled　once　to　charge　up　the　ravine

again；　Mowgli　managed　to　turn　Rama；　and　the　others　followed　him　to

the　wallows。



Shere　Khan　needed　no　more　trampling。　　He　was　dead；　and　the

kites　were　coming　for　him　already。



〃Brothers；　that　was　a　dog's　death；〃　said　Mowgli；　feeling　for

the　knife　he　always　carried　in　a　sheath　round　his　neck　now　that　he

lived　with　men。　　〃But　he　would　never　have　shown　fight。　　His　hide

will　look　well　on　the　Council　Rock。　　We　must　get　to　work　swiftly。〃



A　boy　trained　among　men　would　never　have　dreamed　of　skinning　a

ten…foot　tiger　alone；　but　Mowgli　knew　better　than　anyone　else　how

an　animal's　skin　is　fitted　on；　and　how　it　can　be　taken　off。　　But

it　was　hard　work；　and　Mowgli　slashed　and　tore　and　grunted　for　an

hour；　while　the　wolves　lolled　out　their　tongues；　or　came　forward

and　tugged　as　he　ordered　them。　　Presently　a　hand　fell　on　his

shoulder；　and　looking　up　he　saw　Buldeo　with　the　Tower　musket。　　The

children　had　told　the　village　about　the　buffalo　stampede；　and

Buldeo　went　out　angrily；　only　too　anxious　to　correct　Mowgli　for

not　taking　better　care　of　the　herd。　　The　wolves　dropped　out　of

sight　as　soon　as　they　saw　the　man　coming。



〃What　is　this　folly？〃　said　Buldeo　angrily。　　〃To　think　that

thou　canst　skin　a　tiger！　　Where　did　the　buffaloes　kill　him？　　It　is

the　Lame　Tiger　too；　and　there　is　a　hundred　rupees　on　his　head。

Well；　well；　we　will　overlook　thy　letting　the　herd　run　off；　and

perhaps　I　will　give　thee　one　of　the　rupees　of　the　reward　when　I

have　taken　the　skin　to　Khanhiwara。〃　　He　fumbled　in　his　waist　cloth

for　flint　and　steel；　and　stooped　down　to　singe　Shere　Khan's

whiskers。　　Most　native　hunters　always　singe　a　tiger's　whiskers　to

prevent　his　ghost　from　haunting　them。



〃Hum！〃　said　Mowgli；　half　to　himself　as　he　ripped　back　the　skin

of　a　forepaw。　　〃So　thou　wilt　take　the　hide　to　Khanhiwara　for　the

reward；　and　perhaps　give　me　one　rupee？　　Now　it　is　in　my　mind　that

I　need　the　skin　for　my　own　use。　　Heh！　　Old　man；　take　away　that

fire！〃



〃What　talk　is　this　to　the　chief　hunter　of　the　village？　　Thy

luck　and　the　stupidity　of　thy　buffaloes　have　helped　thee　to　this

kill。　　The　tiger　has　just　fed；　or　he　would　have　gone　twenty　miles

by　this　time。　　Thou　canst　not　even　skin　him　properly；　little

beggar　brat；　and　forsooth　I；　Buldeo；　must　be　told　not　to　singe　his

whiskers。　　Mowgli；　I　will　not　give　thee　one　anna　of　the　reward；

but　only　a　very　big　beating。　　Leave　the　carcass！〃



〃By　the　Bull　that　bought　me；〃　said　Mowgli；　who　was　trying　to

get　at　the　shoulder；　〃must　I　stay　babbling　to　an　old　ape　all　noon？

Here；　Akela；　this　man　plagues　me。〃



Buldeo；　who　was　still　stooping　over　Shere　Khan's　head；　found

himself　sprawling　on　the　grass；　with　a　gray　wolf　standing　over

him；　while　Mowgli　went　on　skinning　as　though　he　were　alone　in　all

India。



〃Ye…es；〃　he　said；　between　his　teeth。　　〃Thou　art　altogether

right；　Buldeo。　　Thou　wilt　never　give　me　one　anna　of　the　reward。

There　is　an　old　war　between　this　lame　tiger　and　myselfa　very

old　war；　andI　have　won。〃



To　do　Buldeo　justice；　if　he　had　been　ten　years　younger　he

would　have　taken　his　chance　with　Akela　had　he　met　the　wolf　in　the

woods；　but　a　wolf　who　obeyed　the　orders　of　this　boy　who　had

private　wars　with　man…eating　tigers　was　not　a　common　animal。　　It

was　sorcery；　magic　of　the　worst　kind；　thought　Buldeo；　and　he

wondered　whether　the　amulet　round　his　neck　would　protect　him。　　He

lay　as　still　as　still；　expecting　every　minute　to　see　Mowgli　turn

into　a　tiger　too。



〃Maharaj！　　Great　King；〃　he　said　at　last　in　a　husky　whisper。



〃Yes；〃　said　Mowgli；　without　turning　his　head；　chuckling　a

little。



〃I　am　an　old　man。　　I　did　not　know　that　thou　wast　anything　more

than　a　herdsboy。　　May　I　rise　up　and　go　away；　or　will　thy　servant

tear　me　to　pieces？〃



〃Go；　and　peace　go　with　thee。　　Only；　another　time　do　not　meddle

with　my　game。　　Let　him　go；　Akela。〃



Buldeo　hobbled　away　to　the　village　as　fast　as　he　could；

looking　back　over　his　shoulder　in　case　Mowgli　should　change　into

something　terrible。　　When　he　got　to　the　village　he　told　a　tale　of

magic　and　enchantment　and　sorcery　that　made　the　priest　look　very

grave。



Mowgli　went　on　with　his　work；　but　it　was　nearly　twilight

before　he　and　the　wolves　had　drawn　the　great　gay　skin　clear　of　the

body。



〃Now　we　must　hide　this　and　take　the　buffaloes　home！　　Help　me

to　herd　them；　Akela。〃



The　herd　rounded　up　in　the　misty　twilight；　and　when　they　got

near　the　village　Mowgli　saw　lights；　and　heard　the　conches　and

bells　in　the　temple　blowing　and　banging。　　Half　the　village　seemed

to　be　waiting　for　him　by　the　gate。　　〃That　is　because　I　have　killed

Shere　Khan；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　But　a　shower　of　stones　whistled

about　his　ears；　and　the　villagers　shouted：　〃Sorcerer！　　Wolf's

brat！　　Jungle　demon！　　Go　away！　　Get　hence　quickly　or　the　priest

will　turn　thee　into　a　wolf　again。　　Shoot；　Buldeo；　shoot！〃



The　old　Tower　musket　went　off　with　a　bang；　and　a　young　buffalo

bellowed　in　pain。



〃More　sorcery！〃　shouted　the　villagers。　　〃He　can　turn　bullets。

Buldeo；　that　was　thy　buffalo。〃



〃Now　what　is　this？〃　said　Mowgli；　bewildered；　as　the　stones

flew　thicker。



〃They　are　not　unlike　the　Pack；　these　brothers　of　thine；〃　said