the mahatma and the hare-第6章

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its　yellow　teeth。

〃I　shall　eat　you　to…night；〃　it　said。

I　ran　round　and　round　the　pen　in　terror；　till　at　last　I　found　a　place
where　rats　had　been　working　under　the　wire；　almost　big　enough　for　me
to　squeeze　through；　but　not　quite。

The　sun　went　down　and　the　big　she…rabbit　came　out。

〃Now　I　am　going　to　eat　you；〃　it　said；　〃as　I　ate　all　the　others。　I　am
hungry；　very　hungry；〃　and　it　prodded　me　about　with　its　nose　and　rolled
me　over。

At　last　with　a　little　squeal　it　drove　its　big　yellow　teeth　into　me
behind。　Oh！　how　they　hurt！　I　was　near　the　rat…hole。　I　rushed　at　it；
scrabbling　and　wriggling。　The　big　rabbit　pounced　on　me　with　its　fore…
feet；　trying　to　hold　me；　but　too　late；　for　I　was　through；　leaving　some
of　my　fur　behind　me。　I　ran；　how　I　ran！　without　stopping；　till　at
length　I　found　my　mother　in　the　rough　pasture　by　the　wood　and　told　her
everything。

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　〃that's　what　comes　of　greediness　and　of　trying　to　be
too　clever。　Now；　perhaps；　you　will　learn　to　stop　at　home。〃

So　I　did　for　a　long　while。

*****

The　summer　went　by　without　anything　particular　happening；　except　that
my　brother　with　the　lame　foot　was　eaten　by　the　mother　fox。　That　great
red　beast　was　always　prowling　about；　and　at　night　surprised　us　in　a
field　near　the　wood　where　we　were　feeding　on　some　beautiful　turnips。
The　rest　of　us　got　away；　but　my　brother　being　lame；　was　not　quick
enough。　The　fox　caught　him；　and　I　heard　her　sharp　white　teeth　crunch
into　his　bones。　The　sound　made　me　quite　sick；　and　my　mother　was　very
sad　afterwards。　She　complained　to　my　father　of　the　cruelty　of　foxes；
but　he；　who；　as　I　have　said；　was　a　philosopher；　answered　her　almost　in
her　own　words。

〃Foxes　must　live；　and　this　one　has　young　to　feed；　and　therefore　is
always　hungry。　There　are　three　of　them　in　a　hole　at　the　top　of　the
wood；〃　he　remarked。　〃Also　our　son　was　lame　and　would　certainly　have
been　caught　when　the　hunting　begins。〃

〃What's　the　hunting？〃　I　asked。

〃Never　mind；〃　said　my　father　sharply。　〃No　doubt　you'll　find　out　in
time；　that　is　if　you　live　through　the　shooting。〃

〃What's　the　shooting？〃　I　began；　but　my　father　cuffed　me　over　the　head
and　I　was　silent。

I　may　tell　you　that　my　mother　soon　got　over　the　loss　of　my　brother；
for　just　about　that　time　she　had　four　new　little　ones；　after　which
neither　she　nor　my　father　seemed　to　think　any　more　about　us。　My　sister
and　I　hated　those　little　ones。　We　two　alone　remembered　my　brother；　and
sometimes　wondered　whether　he　was　quite　gone　or　would　one　day　come
back。　The　fox；　I　am　glad　to　say；　got　caught　in　a　trap。　At　least　I　am
not　glad　nowI　was　glad　because；　you　see；　I　was　so　much　afraid　of
her。



THE　SHOOTING

I　was　quite　close　by　one　morning　when　the　fox；　who　was　smelling　about
after　me；　I　suppose　because　it　had　liked　my　brother　so　much；　got
caught　in　the　big　trap　which　was　covered　over　artfully　with　earth　and
baited　with　some　stuff　which　stank　horribly。　I　remember　it　looked　very
like　my　own　hind…legs。　The　fox；　not　being　able　to　find　me；　went　to
this　filth　and　tried　to　eat　it。

Then　suddenly　there　was　a　dreadful　fuss。　The　fox　yelped　and　flew　into
the　air。　I　saw　that　a　great　black　thing　was　fast　on　its　forepaw。　How
that　fox　did　jump　and　roll！　It　was　quite　wonderful　to　see　her。　She
looked　like　a　great　yellow　ball；　except　for　a　lot　of　white　marks　about
the　head；　which　were　her　teeth。　But　the　trap　would　not　come　away；
because　it　was　tied　to　a　root　with　a　chain。

At　last　the　fox　grew　tired　and；　lying　down；　began　to　think；　licking
its　paw　as　it　thought　and　making　a　kind　of　moaning　noise。　Next　it
commenced　gnawing　at　the　root　after　trying　the　chain　and　finding　that
its　teeth　would　not　go　into　it。　While　it　was　doing　this　I　heard　the
sound　of　a　man　somewhere　in　the　wood。　So　did　the　fox；　and　oh！　it
looked　so　frightened。　It　lay　down　panting；　its　tongue　hanging　out　and
its　ears　pressed　back　against　its　head；　and　whisked　its　big　tail　from
side　to　side。　Then　it　began　to　gnaw　again；　but　this　time　at　its　own
leg。　It　wanted　to　bite　it　off　and　so　get　away。　I　thought　this　very
brave　of　the　fox；　and　though　I　hated　it　because　it　had　eaten　my
brother　and　tried　to　eat　me；　I　felt　quite　sorry。

It　was　about　half　through　its　leg　when　the　man　came。　I　remember　that
he　had　a　cat　with　a　little　red　collar　on　its　neck；　and　an　owl　in　his
hand；　both　of　them　dead；　for　he　was　Giles；　the　head…keeper；　going
round　his　traps。　He　was　a　tall　man　with　sandy　whiskers　and　a　rough
voice；　and　he　carried　a　single…barrelled　gun　under　his　arm。

You　see；　now　that　I　am　dead　I　know　the　use　of　these　things；　just　as　I
understand　all　that　was　said；　though　of　course　at　the　time　it　had　no
meaning　for　me。　Still　I　find　that　I　have　forgotten　nothing；　not　one
word　from　the　beginning　of　my　life　to　the　end。

The　keeper；　who　was　on　his　way　to　the　place　where　he　nailed　the
creatures　he　did　not　like　by　dozens　upon　poles；　looked　down　and　saw
the　fox。　〃Oh！　my　beauty；〃　he　said；　〃so　I　have　got　you　at　last。　Don't
you　think　yourself　clever　trying　to　bite　off　that　leg。　You'd　have　done
it　too；　only　I　came　along　just　in　time。　Well；　good　night；　old　girl；
you　won't　have　no　more　of　my　pheasants。〃

Then　he　lifted　the　gun。　There　was　a　most　dreadful　noise　and　the　fox
rolled　over　and　lay　still。

〃There　you　are；　all　neat　and　tidy；　my　dear；〃　said　the　keeper。　〃Now　I
must　just　tuck　you　away　in　the　hollow　tree　before　old　Grampus　sneaks
round　and　sees　you；　for　if　he　should　it　will　be　almost　as　much　as　my
place　is　worth。〃

Next　he　set　his　foot　on　the　trap　and；　opening　it；　took　hold　of　the　fox
by　the　fore…legs　to　carry　it　off。　The　cat　and　the　owl　he　stuffed　away
into　a　great　pocket　in　his　coat。

〃Jemima！　don't　you　wholly　stink；〃　he　said；　then　gave　a　most　awful
yell。

The　fox　wasn't　quite　dead　after　all；　it　was　only　shamming　dead。　At　any
rate　it　got　Giles'　hand　in　its　mouth　and　made　its　teeth　meet　through
the　flesh。

Now　the　keeper　began　to　jump　about　just　as　the　fox　had　done　when　it
set　its　paw　in　the　trap；　shouting　and　saying　all　sorts　of　things　that
somehow　I　don't　think　I　ought　to　repeat　here。　Round　and　round　he　went
with　the　fox　hanging　to　his　hand；　like　hares　do　when　they　dance
together；　for　he　couldn't　get　it　off　anyhow。　At　last　he　tumbled　down
into　a　pool　of　mud　and　water；　and　when　he　got　up　again　all　wet　through
I　saw　that　the　fox　was　really　dead。　But　it　had　died　biting；　and　now　I
know　that　this　pleased　it　very　much。

It　was　just　then　that　the　man　whom　the　keeper　had　called　Grampus　came
up。　He　was　a　big；　fat　man　with　a　very　red　face；　who　made　a　kind　of
blowing　noise　when　he　walked　fast。　I　know　now　that　he　was　the　lord　of
all　the　other　men　about　that　place；　that　he　lived　in　the　house　which
looked　over　the　sea；　and　that　the　boy　and　girl　who　put　me　in　with　the
yellow…toothed　rabbit　were　his　children。　He　was　what　the　farmers
called　〃a　first…rate　all…round　sportsman；〃　which　means；　my　friendbut
what　is　your　name？

〃Oh！　Mahatma；〃　I　answered　at　hazard。

〃Which　means；　my　friend　Mahatma；　that　he　spent　most　of　the　year　in
killing　the　lower　animals　such　as　me。　Yes；　he　spent　quite　eight　months
out　of　the　twelve　in　killing　us　one　way　and　another；　for　when　there
was　no　more　killing　to　be　done　in　his　own　country；　he　would　travel　to
others　and　kill　there。　He　would　even　kill　pigeons　from　a　trap；　or
young　rooks　just　out　of　their　nests；　or　rats　in　a　stack；　or　sparrows
among　ivy；　rather　than　not　kill　anything。　I've　heard　Giles　say　so　to
the　under…keeper　and　call　him　〃a　regular　slaughterer〃　and　〃a　true…
blood　Englishman。〃

Yet；　my　friend　Mahatma；　I　say　in　the　light　of　the　truth　which　has　come
to　me；　that　according　to　his　knowledge　Grampus　was　a　good　man。　Thus；
what　little　time　he　had　to　spare　from　sport　he　passed　in　helping　his
brother　men　by　sending　them　to　prison。　Although　of　course　he　never
worked　or　earned　anything；　he　was　very　rich；　because　money　flowed　to
him　from　other　people　who　had　been　very　rich；　but　who　at　last　were
forced　to　travel　this　Road　and　could　not　bring　it　with　them。　If　they
could　have　brought　it；　I　am　sure　that　Grampus　would　never　have　got
any。　However；　he　did　get　it；　and　he　aided　a　great　many　people　with
that　part　of　it　which　he　found　he　could　not　spend　upon　himself。　H