II.— THE ADVENTURE

To-day I killed a tiger near my shack

Among the trees: at least, it must have been,

Because his hide was yellow, striped with black,

And his eyes were green.

I crept up close and slung a pointed stone

With all my might: I must have hit his head,

For there he died without a twitch or groan,

And he lay there dead.

I expect that he'd escaped from a Wild Beast Show

By pulling down his cage with an angry tear;

He'd killed and wounded all the people — so

He was hiding there.

I brought my brother up as quick's I could

But there was nothing left when he did come:

The tiger's mate was watching in the wood

And she'd dragged him home.

But, anyhow, I killed him by the shack,

‘ Cause — listen!— when we hunted in the wood

My brother found my pointed stone all black

With the clotted blood.