llages and sent to destroy it, but more than a
few stragglers never returned. Plainly recognizing that a just and
inevitable vengeance had overtaken it, the tiger made only a very
inferior exhibition of resistance, and the youth, having first stunned
it with a blow of his closed hand, seized it by the middle, and
repeatedly dashed its head against the rocky sides of its retreat. He
then performed for the third time the ceremony enjoined by the Mandarin,
and having cast upon the cringing and despicable forms concealed in the
surrounding woods and caves a look of dignified and ineffable contempt,
set out upon his homeward journey, and in the space of three days' time
reached the town of the versatile Poo-chow. "Behold," exclaimed that
person, when, lifting up his eyes, he saw the youth approaching laden
with the skins of the tigers and other spoils, "now at least the youths
and maidens of your native village will no longer withdraw themselves
from the company of so undoubtedly heroic a person." "Illustrious
Mandarin," replied the other, casting both his weapons and his trophies
before his inspired adviser's feet, "what has this person to do with the
little ones of either sex? Give him rather the foremost place in your
ever-victorious company of bowmen, so that he may repay in part the
undoubted debt under which he henceforth exists." This proposal found
favour with the pure-minded Poo-chow, so that in course of time the
unassuming youth who had come supplicating his advice became the
valiant commander of his army, and the one eventually chosen to present
plighting gifts to his only daughter.'

"When the father had completed the narrative of how the faint-hearted
youth became in the end a courageous and resourceful leader of bowmen,
Sen looked up, and not in any degree understanding the purpose of the
story, or why it had been set forth before him, exclaimed:

"'Undoubtedly the counsel of the graceful and intelligent Mandarin
Poo-chow was of inestimable service in the case recorded, and this
person would gladly adopt it as his guide for the future, on the chance
of it leading to a similar honourable career; but alas! there are no
tigers to be found throughout this Province.'

"'It is a loss which those who are engaged in commerce in the city of
Hankow strive to supply adequately,' replied his father, who had an
assured feeling that it would be of no avail to endeavour to show
Sen that the story which he had just related