Part 11 (1/2)
”I left the palace, noting with amusement that the royal u
”The folloeek Iordeal Through my servant I learned of fantastic tales
The saint's direful prediction toas it ran Many siers believed that an evil spirit, cursed by the Gods, had reincarnated as a tiger which took various de the day This deer was supposed to be the one sent to huinative version was that anier Heaven had achieved a response in the shape of Raja Begum He was to be the instru to the entire tiger species! A furless, fangless er! The concentrated venoatheredabout the fall of the proud tiger tamer
”My servant further apprized er of the bout between man and beast He had supervised the erection of a storned to accoue, surrounded by an outer safety roo roars He was fed sparingly, to kindle a wrathful appetite Perhaps the prince expected me to be the ht tickets eagerly in response to the beat of dru the unique contest The day of battle saw hundreds turned away for lack of seats Many s, or crowded any space below the galleries”
As the Tiger Swami's story approached a climax, my excitement mounted with it; Chandi also was raptly um, and the hubbub of the somewhat terrified crowd, I quietly made my appearance Scantily clad around the waist, I was otherwise unprotected by clothing I opened the bolt on the door of the safety rooer sensed blood Leaping with a thunderous crash on his bars, he sent forth a fearsome welcome The audience was hushed with pitiful fear; I see beast
”In a trice I ithin the cage; but as I slaht hand was desperately torn
Huer can know, fell in appalling streams The prophecy of the saint seemed about to be fulfilled
”I rallied instantly from the shock of the first serious injury I had ever received Banishi+ng the sight oftheblow The beast reeled back, swirled around the rear of the cage, and sprang forward convulsively My fau first sip of wine to a dipso roar, the brute's assaults grew in fury My inadequate defense of only one hand leftretribution Mutually ensanguined, we struggled as to the death The cage was pandemonium, as blood splashed in all directions, and blasts of pain and lethal lust came froer!' Shrieks arose frouard's bullet went amiss
I mustered all my will force, bellowed fiercely, and landed a final concussive blow The tiger collapsed and lay quietly
”Like a pussycat!” I interjected
The swarossing tale
”Raja Begum was vanquished at last His royal pride was further humbled: with my lacerated hands, I audaciously forced open his jaws For a dra deathtrap I looked around for a chain Pulling one froer by his neck to the cage bars In triumph I moved toward the door
”But that fiend incarnate, Raja Beguin With an incredible lunge, he snapped the chain and leaped on my back My shoulder fast in his jaws, I fell violently But in a trice I had him pinned beneath me Under merciless blows, the treacherous animal sank into semiconsciousness
This tie
”I found ht The crowd's cheer broke as though froantic throat Disastrously ht-stunning the tiger, binding hi assistance for htened the aggressive beast that he had been content to overlook the opportune prize of my head in his mouth!
”After arlanded; hundreds of gold pieces showered at my feet The whole city entered a holiday period Endless discussions were heard on all sides about ers ever seen
Raja Begum was presented to me, as proe had entered e I had also closed the door on my worldly ambitions
”A woeful period followed For sixAs soon as I ell enough to leave Cooch Behar, I returned to my native town
”'I kno that ' I humbly made this confession towas sincere, for one day the saint arrived unheralded
”'Enough of tiger ta' He spoke with calm assurance 'Conorance roales of the hualaxy of angels, entertained by your thrilling a!'
”I was initiated into the spiritual path by uru He openeddisuse Hand in hand, we soon set out forin the Hirateful for his vivid outline of a life truly cyclonic I felt a probationary wait in the cold parlor!
{FN6-1} SOHONG was his er Swami”