Some two or three hundred still remained, but they
were haunted by this terrible dread,
And because of fear for their lives, would sit in their
huts, their hearts full of foreboding and terror.
Every one of them kept a fire burning at night, and
none dared to close his eyes in sleep; yet would some
of them be carried away to destruction.
The lion's roar was such that the very earth would
tremble at the sound, and where was the man who did
not feel afraid?
On all sides arose weeping and wailing, and the people
would sit and cry like cranes, complaining of the deeds
of the lions.
I, Roshan, chief of my people, also complained and
prayed to God, the Prophet, and to our spiritual
adviser.
And now will I relate the story of the Engineer
in charge of the line.
He kept some ten or twenty goats, for the sake of
their milk;
But one night a wild beast came, and destroyed
them all, not one being left.
And in the morning it was reported by the
watchman, who also stated that the man-eater was daily
destroying the labourers and workmen, and doing great
injury;
And they took the Engineer with them and showed
him the footprints of the animal.
And after seeing what the animal had done, the
Englishman spoke, and said,
"For this damage the lion shall pay his life."
And when night came he took his gun and in very
truth destroyed the beast.
Patterson Sahib is indeed a brave and valiant man,
like unto those Persian heroes of old - Rustem, Zal,
Sohrab and Berzoor;
So brave is he, that the greatest warriors stood aghast
at his action;
Tall in stature, young, most brave and of great
strength is he.
From the other side of the line came the noise and
cries of those who complained that these savage beasts
were eating and destroying men,
For such has been the habit of lions from time
immemorial, and groups of people have fallen victims
to their fury.
Those who were proud or boastful, have but sacrificed
their lives uselessly;
But to-day Patterson Sahib will watch for the lion
himself!
For the people have complained loudly, and the
valiant one has gone forth with his gun into the
forest.
Soon after the people had retired at night to their
tents, the fearless lion made his appearance;
Patterson Sahib loaded both barrels of his gun and
went forth against him.
He fired many times in succession and totally
paralysed the animal.
The lion roared like thunder as the bullets found their
way to his heart.
This Englishman, Patterson, is most brave, and is
indeed the very essence of valour;
Lions do not fear lions, yet one glance from Patterson
Sahib cowed the bravest of them.
He fled, making for the forest, while the bullets
followed hard after him;
So was this man-eater rendered helpless; he lay down
in despair,
And after he had covered a chain's distance, the
savage beast fell down, a corpse.
Now the people, bearing lights in their hands, all ran
to look at their dead enemy.
But the Sahib said "Return, my children; the night
is dark, do not rush into danger."
And in the morning all the people saw the lion
lying dead.
And then the Sahib said, "Do not think of work to-day
- make holiday, enjoy and be merry."
So the people had holiday and made merry with
friends from whom they had been long parted, on
account of the lion:
And the absence of those who had run away was
forgiven, and their money allowed them -
A generous action, comparable to the forgiveness of
God and the Prophet to sinners and criminals on the
day of judgment.
Oh! poet, leave this kind of simile, it is too deep
for thee;
We mortals have the Devil, like unto a fierce lion, ever
after us;
Oh! Roshan, may God, the Prophet, and your
spiritual adviser, safeguard you day and night!
One lion, however, remained, and for fear of him all
went in dread;
Sixteen days passed, all being well, and everyone
enjoyed a peaceful mind;
But again, on the seventeenth day, the lion appeared
and remained from sunset to sunrise.
He kept on roaming about in the neighbourhood like
a general reconnoitring the enemy's position.
On the following day the Sahib sent for the
people and warned them all to be careful of their
lives;
"Do not go out from the afternoon even until the
following morning," he said.
Now this was the night of Shab-i-Kadr, a Muslim
festival:
And at night when all had retired to rest, the lion
came in a rage,
And Patterson Sahib went forth into the field to
meet him.
And when he saw the beast, he fired quickly, bullet
after bullet.
The lion made a great uproar, and fled for his life, but
the bullets nevertheless found a resting-place in his heart.
And everyone began to shriek and groan in their
uneasy sleep, jumping up in fear, when unexpectedly
the roaring of the lion was heard.
All thought of sleep was banished, and fear came in
its place:
And the Sahib gave emphatic orders that no one
should go out, or roam about.
And in the morning we followed the marks of blood
that had flowed from the wounded animal,
And some five or seven chains away, we found the
lion, lying wounded and in great pain.
And when the Sahib saw the animal he fired bullets
incessantly;
But when the lion saw the Sahib, the savage animal,
burning with rage, and pain,
Came by leaps and bounds close to the Sahib;
But here he was to meet his match in a brave Sahib
who loaded his gun calmly, and fired again and again,
killing the beast.
