They told him he must be on his guard against
bears and wild-boars and lions and leopards: many a man had found
himself at too close quarters with these dangerous creatures, and been
torn to pieces: but antelopes, they said, and deer and mountain sheep
and wild asses were harmless enough. And the huntsman, they added, ought
to be as careful about dangerous places as about the beasts themselves:
many a time horse and rider had gone headlong down a precipice to death.
[8] The lad seemed to take all their lessons to heart at the time: but
then he saw a stag leap up, and forgot all the wise cautions he had
heard, giving chase forthwith, noticing nothing except the beast ahead
of him. His horse, in its furious plunge forward, slipped, and came down
on its knees, all but throwing the rider over its head. As luck would
have it the boy managed to keep his seat, and the horse recovered its
footing. When they reached the flat bottom, Cyrus let fly his javelin,
and the stag fell dead, a beautiful big creature. The lad was still
radiant with delight when up rode the guard and took him severely to
task. Could he not see the danger he had run? They would certainly tell
his grandfather, that they would. Cyrus, who had dismounted, stood quite
still and listened ruefully, hanging his head while they rated him. But
in the middle of it all he heard the view-halloo again: he sprang to his
horse as though frenzied--a wild-boar was charging down on them, and he
charged to meet it, and drawing his bow with the surest aim possible,
struck the beast in the forehead, and laid him low. [9] But now his
uncle thought it was high time to scold his nephew himself; the lad's
boldness was too much. Only, the more he scolded the more Cyrus begged
he would let him take back the spoil as a present for his grandfather.
To which appeal, says the story, his uncle made reply: "But if your
grandfather finds out that you have gone in chase yourself, he will not
only scold you for going but me for letting you go." "Well, let him whip
me if he likes," said the boy, "when once I have given him my beasts:
and you too, uncle," he went on, "punish me however you choose, only do
not refuse me this." So Cyaxares was forced to yield:--"Have it your own
way then, you are little less than our king already." [10] Thus it was
that Cyrus was allowed to bring his trophies home, and in due course
presented them to his grandfather. "See, grandfather, here are some
animals I have