TWELFTH NIGHT
THE STORY OF SA'-ZADA, THE "ZOO" KEEPER
It was the twelfth night of the Sa'-zada stories. For eleven eveningsTiger, and Leopard, and the others had told of their manner of life,with more or less relevancy. This night Sa'-zada, the little Master,was to speak of his jungle and forest experience.
Magh, the Orang, was filled with a joyous anticipation. Perched asusual on Hathi's broad forehead, she gave expression to little squeaksof enjoyment.
Once even she stuck out her long, elastic under-lip and broke into thelittle jungle song she always had resource to when pleasantly excited:
"Co-oo-oo-oo-oo! Co-wough, wough-oo!" with a rising inflection thatmade the listener's ears tingle. She even danced a modest can-can onHathi's patient old head.
The Keeper came briskly up the walk, and patting Hathi's trunkaffectionately as it was held out to him, sat on the grass with hisback against Mooswa's side.
"Well, Comrades," he commenced, "before I came to a state offriendship with the Jungle Dwellers, I was like a great many others ofmy kind, and thought the only pleasure to be got from animals was inkilling them."
"It is the beginning of a true talk," commented Pardus.
"And, so, in that time I hunted a great deal," continued Sa'-zada."When I first went to Burma to live, my bungalow was just on the edgeof the Jungle, and some of the Dwellers were always forcing theirpresence upon me--either Snakes, or Jackals, or Jaruk the Hyena, or theBandar-Log; and one night even a Rogue Elephant----"
"Hum-p-p-ph! he should have been prodded with a sharp tusk," commentedHathi.
"A Rogue Elephant," continued Sa'-zada, "came down and playedbasket-ball with my garden and bamboo cook-house. Gidar the Jackal,with a dozen companions, used to gut my kitchen, and then sit out inthe moonlight and howl at me in derision."
"We sing at night because we can't help it, and not because of ill willto the Men-kind," corrected Gidar.
"Well, one night, as the Jackals were in the middle of a heavy chorus,they suddenly ceased; a silence as of death came over everything; itseemed as though all life had gone miles away from that part of thecountry. Then came a hoarse call which shook my little bungalow----"
"I know," interrupted Gidar, "when we stop singing and move awaysilently it is to make room for Bagh the Killer. We object to beingseen in the company of a murderer like that."
"Yes, it was Tiger," asserted Sa'-zada, "and two Sahibs, who were mycompanions, and, like myself, new to the country, determined to gethim.
"So next evening we took a Goat and tied it just inside the Jungle,each one of us lying down on the ground at a short distance from ourbait. But the Goat commenced to browse quietly and refused to bleat. Itried jumping him up and down by the tail and back of his neck, andhe'd bleat just as long as I'd pump. At last I tied him up so that hestood on his hind legs, and he called then with full vigor. For thematter of an hour we lay thus, when presently, behind me, I heard thestealthy step of some huge Jungle Dweller coming for the Goat.
"It was the most deliberate animal I had ever waited for; it seemedhours that those carefully planted feet had been heading towards theback of my head. I could see nothing, for I was facing the other way,and I dared not turn over for fear of frightening the approaching Tigeraway. This is a true tale, Comrades, and I did not like overmuch theidea of Bagh or Pardus, whichever it might be, pouncing upon me frombehind."
"And they would do it," declared Gidar, "for there is a saying intheir tribe that 'a kill from behind is a kill of skill.'"
"Were you afraid, little Master?" asked Hathi.
"I didn't like it," answered Sa'-zada, evasively.
"I've lain close hid in the Elephant Grass," said Bagh, "when a mightydrive of the Sahibs was on; and perhaps you felt that time, O Sa'-zada,even as I did."
"I, too, have heard the Pigstickers galloping, galloping all about alittle _nulla_ where I have sought for safety and the chance of mylife," added Wild Boar, "and it's dreadful. If all the Sahibs couldhave known that feeling, even as you did, O Sa'-zada, perhaps theywould hunt us less."
"Perhaps," answered the Keeper; "but I could hear the great animalcreeping, oh, so carefully, step by step, hardly a twig shifting underhis cautious feet--only a little soft rustle of the leaves as theywhispered to the sleepy night air that something of evil was afoot. Itgot on my nerves, I must say, for I knew that I had not one chance in athousand if Bagh were to spring upon me from behind. A fair fight I didnot mind. I dared not even whisper to my companions, for they were ashort distance from me, lest I should frighten the quarry away. Whenthe soft-moving feet were within five yards of my head they becamesilent, and I felt that the great animal, Bagh or Pardus, or someother Killer, was crouched ready for a spring.
"One minute, two minutes, an hour--perhaps half the night I seemedwaiting for something to happen. The suspense was dreadful. One of mycomrades had heard the footsteps, too, for I could see his rifle gleamin the moonlight as he held it ready to fire at sight of the animal.The strain was so trying that I almost wished Bagh would charge.
"But at last my nerves got the better of me and I turned over on myface, bringing my Express up to receive the visitor. The noise startledhim, and with a hoarse bark he was off into the Jungle. It was onlylittle ribbed-faced Barking Deer, who had come out of curiosity to seewhat the Goat was making a row about."
Hathi gave a great sigh of relief, for the Little Master's story ofthrilling danger had worked him up to a pitch of excited interest.
"I remember a little tale of a happening," said Arna the Buffalo. "Wewere a herd of at least twenty, lying in a bit of nice, soft muddyland, for it was a wondrous hot day, I remember, when suddenly rightthrough the midst of us walked a Sahib, and with him was one of theBlack Men-kind. By his manner I knew that he had not seen us, beinghalf-buried as we were in the _jhil_. Just beyond where we rested was aplain of the dry grass Eating, and to that our enemies the Men passed.Comrades, the method of our doing you know, when there is danger. Ifit is far away, and we see it, we go quickly from its presence, as isright for all Jungle Dwellers; but should it come suddenly close uponus we fight with a strength that even Bagh dreads.
"As I have said, seeing the Sahib so close, our Leader sprang up andsnorted in anger. Now Bagh, when he is in an evil temper, roars loudly;but we, being people of little voice, trusting more to our horns thanto noise, only call 'Eng-ugh!' before we charge. So, when our Leadercalled twice, we rushed out into the field where was this Sahib. Iremember well, the Black man ran with great speed across the Plain, butthe Sahib faced us. In his eyes there was a look such as I have seen inthe eyes of another Bull when I have challenged him, and it was aquestion whether we should fight or not.
"But fear came not to this Man," added Arna, decidedly, "for as weraced down upon him, he smote at us with his Firestick, and taking thecover that was on his head----"
"His helmet," suggested Sa'-zada.
"The cover in his hand," proceeded Arna, "charged full at us, callingus evil names in a loud voice. I know not which of us turned in hisgallop, but certain it is that the herd passed on either side of theMan and he was not hurt."
"But did you not turn and trample him?" asked Boar.
"No," answered Arna; "when we charge we charge, and there's an end ofit."
"That is also our way," concurred Bagh, "except, perhaps, when we arestruck by the Firestick, then sometimes we turn and charge back."
"By-the-memory-of-honey!" said Muskwa the Bear, "I should like to heara tale from Sa'-zada of my people."
"Well," declared the Keeper, "there was a happening in connection withMuskwa's cousin, Grizzly, that makes me tremble--I mean, calls uprather unpleasant memories to this day."
"I'm glad of that--Whuf! glad we're to have the story," correctedMuskwa, apologetically.
"It was in the Rocky Mountains," began Sa'-zada, "in the South KootenayPass. I was after Big Horn, the Mountain Sheep, with two Comrades, anda guide called Eagle Child, when we saw a big Grizzly coming dow
n theside of a mountain called the Camel's Back.
"Now, Eagle Child was a man very eager to do big things, so, almostwithout asking my consent, he laid out the whole plan of campaign. Onthe side of the Camel's Back Mountain grew a spruce forest, and throughthis snow avalanches had ploughed roadways, from top to bottom, lookinglike the streets of a city. Eagle Child called to me as he forded themountain stream on his Horse that he would go up one of these snowroads and get the Grizzly, or turn him down another one for me.
"Now, Comrades, Muskwa here is a man of peace, loving his honey and hisAnts, but Grizzly is one to interview with great caution, and myComrade, Eagle Child, being a man of unwise haste, you will understand,Comrades, that I expected strange happening when he started tointerfere with Grizzly's evening plans, for it was toward the end ofthe day."
"It is not wise to meddle with one of a short temper," declared Hathi.
"I am not one of a short temper," objected Grizzly. "I seek a quarrelwith no one; but, perhaps, if this man, who was Sa'-zada's comrade,sought to make a kill of one of our kind, there may have been trouble.If I am of a great strength why is that--is it so that I may be killedeasily? Have I not strong claws just as Bagh has his teeth, and Boarhis tusks, and Python his strength of squeeze?--even also have Isomewhat of a squeeze myself. And shall I not use these things that Ihave, as do the other Forest Dwellers when their desire is to live? Iam not like Elk that can gallop fast--flee from a slayer. And so, if I,being strong, fight for my life, it is temper, eh? Wough! I am as I am.But go on, Little Master--tell us of this happening."
"As I was saying," recommenced Sa'-zada, "when Eagle Child in hisgreat eagerness started after that Bear, I had an idea there would befun, and there was--though I must say that I followed up to give himsome help."
"There was no harm in that," said Grizzly, magnanimously. "Comrades ofthe same kind must help each other."
"That Eagle Child had ridden up to meet the Grizzly was in itself afair promise for excitement, but also his Cayuse was one of thejerkiest brutes ever ridden by anybody. He had a great dislike forspurs."
"Quite right, too," bubbled Unt the Camel; "I remember a Cavalry Man onmy back once----"
Sa'-zada interrupted Camel, and continued: "A dig from the spurs andthe Cayuse would refuse to budge; but, of course, the rider knew that.
"Eagle Child thought that the Bear was working down in a certaindirection, but, as you know, Comrades, Muskwa is a fellow of manynotions, turning and twisting and changing his course beyond allcalculations."
"Yes, we are like that," assented Muskwa. "It is our manner of life. Wefind our food in small parts, and in many places--berries here, andAnts there, and perhaps Honey on the other side. We are not like Bagh,who goes straight for his Kill, for we must keep a sharp lookout or weshall find nothing."
"Well, Grizzly evidently turned, for, while my Guide was looking forhim in one direction, he bounced out not ten yards from the Cayuse froma totally different quarter. This rather startled Eagle Child; and,though he should have known better, he dug the silly spurs into hiserratic tempered Horse, with the result that the latter balked--buckedup like a stubborn mule.
"This looked as though he meant to stop and fight it out--the Grizzlyevidently thought so, for he gave a snort of rage and tore down themountain full at his enemy. I dared not shoot for fear of striking mycomrade; but one bullet wouldn't have mattered, anyway; it wouldn'thave stopped the charging Grizzly. Luckily for Eagle Child, his Horsereared just as the Bear arrived, and though he was sent flying,Muskwa's cousin did not succeed in clawing him, his time being taken upin making little pieces of the Horse. Eagle Child arrived at the footof the mountain very rapidly, for all this had happened at the top of along shale cut bank, and he did not look for smooth paths, but justcame away without regard to the means of transport."
"And is that all of the tale?" inquired Magh, with a ratherdisappointed air, for she had hoped to hear of Muskwa's getting theworst of the encounter.
"Not by any means," answered Sa'-zada; "that was but the beginning. Mycomrade being out of the way," he continued, "I fired at Grizzly."
"THE GRIZZLY ... BOUNCED OUT NOT TEN YARDS FROM THECAYUSE."]
"To kill him?" exclaimed Mooswa, reproachfully.
"That was before I was comrade to the Jungle Dwellers," apologized theKeeper--"before I knew they were more interesting alive than dead. AndI fear I struck him, too," he added, "for when he had finished knockingthe Horse to pieces we saw him go up the side of the Camel's Backlimping as though a leg had been broken."
"That was a shame," declared Mooswa.
"It would have been a great shame, an outrage," asserted Bagh, "if I,or Pardus, or even Hathi had broken the leg of a Man; we would havebeen hunted by a drove of twenty Elephants, and many of the Men-kind."
"But," objected Magh, "as Sa'-zada has said, that was before he hadproper wisdom, so we bear him no malice. Even Muskwa does not, do you,old Shaggy Sides?"
"No, I did not know the law of life then," said the Keeper; "and EagleChild and myself followed after poor old wounded Grizzly and in ourhearts was a desire for his life. Eagle Child was cross because I hadlaughed at him when he came down all covered with mud, also he had losta Horse. He swore that he would kill that Bear if it took a week."
"I know," commented Hathi, swinging his trunk sideways and liftingJaruk off his feet with a blow in the ribs as if by accident. "I hatethe smell of that Jungle Scavenger," he confided to Magh in a whisper."I know," he continued aloud, "I've heard the Sahibs swear often, overa less matter than the killing of a Horse, too."
"We thought that Grizzly was badly wounded and couldn't go far, andthat we should soon come within range of him up amongst the rocks."
"Of course, he went up, having a broken leg," declared Pardus; "that'sthe way with all Forest Dwellers--one pitches going down on threelegs."
"But it was getting late, so we hurried fast. I had tied my Horse to atree, for the climb was steep. Up, up, up we went; sometimes catchingsight of Grizzly, sometimes seeing a drop of blood----"
"Dreadful," whimpered Mooswa. "Why should Men be so eager to see theblood of Forest Dwellers who have not harmed them?"
"Sometimes we saw blood on the rocks," proceeded Sa'-zada, "andsometimes we followed Grizzly's trail by the mark of a stone upturnedwhere his strong claws had been planted. Once I got another shot athim, and struck him, too, but, as Greybeard here might tell you, aGrizzly is like Arna, he can carry off the matter of twenty bulletsunless they happen upon his heart or brain."
"That is even so," concurred Grizzly. "Whuff! I have at least a dozenin my own body. The Men seek to improve our tempers after that manner."
"It was getting late," resumed Sa'-zada, "but still we continuedupward, the Bear holding on with great strength. It was October, and inthe hollows of the upper ranges snow was lying like a white apron in anurse's lap. 'He went this way,' said the guide to me, pointing to anarrow ledge of rock around the side of a cliff, with a drop from it ofa thousand feet.
"Now, Eagle Child was a Stony Indian, and they are like Mountain Sheepin their ability to climb. We had to work our way down carefully tothis ledge, helping each other lest we fall, and even when it wasreached the yawn of the valley a thousand feet below caused me totremble. So, cautiously we worked along this narrow path, and, as werounded the point, to our great fear we saw that we could go nofarther--a dead wall stood two hundred feet high in front of us.Slowly, cautiously, we turned our bodies, and went back; and then wesaw what we had overlooked in our eagerness for poor old Grizzly'slife--we could not get up the way we had come down--we were trapped."
"It's a dreadful feeling," declared Pardus, "to be caught in aTrap--though there were no Men enemies about you, Sa'-zada, to make itworse."
"Or to be shut up in a Keddah," muttered Hathi--"it's awful. To betaken out of one's nice pleasant jungle and led into a Keddah trap withthose of the Men-kind trumpeting and calling, and even those of our owntribe, Elephant, taking part against us."
&nb
sp; "Was that what made you friend to the Jungle Dwellers, Sa'-zada?" askedMuskwa.
"At the time," answered the Keeper, "I thought only of the dreadful fixwe were in. Below, a thousand feet or more, the sharp tops of thespruce and cedar stood like spears----"
"I've felt a spear in my shoulder, ugh, ugh! it drives one fair madwith fear and pain," grunted Boar.
"Under our feet was a narrow ledge of rock not the width of Hathi'sback; behind us, and on either side of us, the cliffs ran up hundredsof feet. On the upper peak of the Camel's Back a snowstorm was shuttingout the last grey light of day--the darkness of night was fast comingon. I could see nothing for it but to stand perfectly straight with ourbacks to the rock wall all through the bitter night and talk to eachother to keep sleep away. The next day our comrades might find us, andlet down a rope to help us up."
"You could also think in the night of how we feel, O Little Brother,when we are hunted," declared Pardus. "Even perhaps Grizzly with hisbroken leg had to lie on some rock, afraid to travel in the night lesthe fall."
"Yes, it was a good time to think of the troubles of Jungle Dwellers,"concurred Hathi.
"I thought of many things," said the Keeper, softly; "and but for EagleChild I fear I should have fallen a dozen times; I felt his hand on myarm more than once pressing me against the wall. But at last morningcame. I never felt so cold in my life, for, you see, we dared not moveabout. But it was noon before I saw my two comrades riding up thevalley looking for us.
"Eagle Child called, 'Hi, yi, yi--oh, yi!' The rocks threw his voicefar out, and they heard it. It took them a long time to climb up to theplace from where we had descended. They had brought their lassos withthem, for they knew that we were cut off; and soon, but with muchcautious labor, we were safe."
"And what of Grizzy?" asked Muskwa, solicitously.
"I hope he, too, got away all right," answered Sa'-zada, "for I neversaw him again--we did not follow him."
"I think Wie-sah-ke-chack led you to that place, Little Master, to giveGrizzly a chance for his life," commented Mooswa.
"I like our Master's story," declared Hathi; "so often I've heard theSahibs boasting of the Animals they have killed, but Sa'-zada tellsonly of the times fear came to him because of his wrong-doing."
"That happening was of Greybeard, and he is but a cousin of mine,"complained Muskwa the Black Bear. "Did you never meet with my family,Little Master?"
"If you insist upon it, Muskwa," answered the Keeper, "I might tell alittle tale of your people."
"I should like that--do," pleaded Black Bear; "in all the stories therehas been nothing of our doing."
"But they were also only relatives of yours, though they were black,for the happening was in India, and there they are called Bhalu theBear. And the happening was not of my doing, either, for I was huntingBagh, the Tiger."
"Every hunter takes me for a choice," growled Raj Bagh.
"But this was a bad Tiger," declared Sa'-zada; "he had killed manypeople."
"And what of that--Waugh-houk! what of that, Little Master?" demandedRaj Bagh. "Have not many people killed many of my kind--are they notalways killing us?"
"Still the Little Master is right," objected Hathi. "If a Bull Elephantbecomes Rogue, and, neglecting his proper eating which is in theJungle, goes seeking to kill the Men-kind, does he not surely come intotrouble?"
"But we be flesh eaters and slayers of life," answered Raj Bagh.
"Even so, though that were better otherwise, but do you not know ofyour own people that the Men-kind are not for Kill? Before all otherDwellers of the Jungle you stand forth and are ready to battle, butjust the _scent_ of Man causes you to slink away like Jaruk the Hyena."
"I think that is true," commented Mooswa. "Wie-sah-ke-chack hasarranged all that."
Said the Keeper: "It is not right to kill the animals as men do, forsport, but when Bagh, or any other Jungle Dweller, turns Man-eater, heshould die."
"And Sher Abi, too," squeaked Magh; "his tribe are all Man-eaters--theyshould be all killed."
"At any rate," continued the Keeper, "I was after this Man-eater. I hada _machan_ built in a Pipal tree, and a Buffalo calf tied up nearit----"
"One of your young, Arna," said Bagh, vindictively.
"And early in the evening I climbed into my _machan_ and prepared forMister Stripes."
"That's Man's way," sneered Raj Bagh. "What chance have we against themup in a _machan_? No chance; and they call that sport."
"And what chance has a village woman against a big-fanged Tiger?"grunted Boar. "No chance. It seems to me there are few in the Jungle asdecent as Hathi and myself; we meddle not with the Men."
"Just before dark," continued Sa'-zada, "I heard a noise coming throughthe Khir bushes. 'Bagh comes early,' I thought to myself."
"He must have been hungry to scent a kill before dark," muttered RajBagh.
"He smelt a man and thought it a good chance to commit murder," sneeredMagh.
"It wasn't Tiger at all," said the Keeper, "but three noisy BlackBears--Bhalu the Bear. I thought they would soon pass, for they do notmeddle much with cattle."
"No, we are not throat cutters like Bagh," whuffed Muskwa.
"But they seemed in an inquisitive mood. Now, the calf was tied to thefoot of a toddy palm, and they looked at him as much as to say, 'Whatare you doing here?'"
"I would have explained matters to them had I been there," exclaimedArna, shaking his head. "A poor Calf!"
"No doubt they meant to help him out of his trouble," volunteeredMuskwa.
"Presently one of them proceeded to climb the toddy palm, and I thoughtthey were looking for me perhaps. On the tree was a jar the natives hadput there for catching the toddy liquor; and you can imagine mysurprise, Comrades, when I saw Bhalu take a big drink out of this. Whenhe came down one of his comrades went up. There were half-a-dozen toddytrees there, and the Bears helped themselves to the toddy until in theend they became very drunk."
"I know how that feels," said Oungea the Water Monkey; "have I nottold you, Comrades, of the gin my Master----"
"Caw-w-w, caw-w-w!" interrupted Crow. "I also know of that condition. Iate some cherries once that had been thrown from a bungalow inCalcutta, and they made my head wobble so I couldn't fly. A Sahib stoodin the door and laughed and said I was drunk."
"The cherries had been in brandy, I suppose," explained Sa'-zada. "ButBhalu was most unmistakably drunk. They wanted to play with the Calf,but he became frightened and bawled. I could see there was small chanceof a visit from Bagh with three drunken Bears and a bellowing Calf atthe foot of my tree."
"This is a nice story, Muskwa," sneered Magh. "I'm so glad to hear ofyour people and their ways."
"Only cousins of mine," declared Muskwa, "and called Bhalu."
"All Bears are alike," snapped Coyote; "meddlesome thieves."
"They steal little Pigs," added Boar.
"They wouldn't go away," said Sa'-zada, "and I began to fear that Ishouldn't get a shot at Stripes. I did not want to shoot, because ifTiger was anywhere in the neighborhood it would put an end to hisvisit. I had nothing heavy to throw at them except my water-bottle;but, finally, taking a long drink to keep the thirst away for a time,I stood up in the _machan_ and let fly the bottle. It caught the Bearjust behind the ear, and Bhalu, thinking one of his comrades had hurthim, pitched into the other two, and there was a fierce three-corneredfight on in a minute."
"I can swear that it is a true tale," barked Gidar, "for twice I'veseen a family of Bhalu's people in just such a stupid fight. Not thatthey were possessed of toddy, for they are silly enough at all times.But it is known in the Jungle that when Bhalu is wounded, he fightswith the first one he sees, even his own brother, thinking he has donehim the harm."
"One chap got the worst of the encounter and reeled off into theJungle, the other two following. I could hear them wrangling andsnarling for a long distance--all the world like a party of drunkensailors."
"These Bear stories are just lovely," grinned Magh.
"Aren't they,Muskwa?"
"Did you kill Bagh, the Man-eater?" asked Muskwa, to change thesubject.
"Yes, I stopped his murderous career that night," answered Sa'-zada."He was an evil animal and deserved to die. Now it is late and you mustall go to your cages."
"I'm glad your people had a chance to be heard from, Muskwa," lispedMagh as she slid down Hathi's trunk. "You always looked so terriblyrespectable and honest, that I was really afraid to speak to you."
"BHALU ... PITCHED INTO THE OTHER TWO."]
"Phrut, phrut!" muttered Hathi through his trunk; "I have lived for amatter of forty years or so, amongst the Jungle Dwellers and with theMen-kind, and I think that we are all alike, all having some good andsome bad qualities."
THE END
The Sa'-Zada Tales Page 15