GREYHOUNDS & THEIR ARAB MASTERS 315 



of caution, especially if the mothers happen to be near 

 by. But in a very little while the pups learn this too, 

 and then the greatest pleasure they have is a hunting 

 expedition. 



By this time the pup is a year old, and has nearly 

 reached his full strength and spirits. In three or four 

 months more his heart dances with joy at the sight 

 of a herd of antelopes — the more the merrier, he thinks, 

 as he watches thirty or forty of these big beasts feeding 

 together in the plains. Trembling with excitement he 

 flies to his master, and looks up pleadingly in his face, 

 for he has been too well taught to go off without leave. 

 ' Son of a Jew,' says the master, who himself has dis- 

 covered the antelopes, and knows quite well what this 

 means — ' Son of a Jew, do not lie to me, and tell me you 

 have seen nothing. I know you, friend, and I myself will 

 go with you.' So he takes his skin of water, and sprinkles 

 it over the little greyhound's body, that he may become 

 stronger and better able to resist his enemies. The dog 

 is too impatient to be gone to submit patiently to these 

 ceremonies, and when at last he is set free, gives one 

 rapturous bark, and makes, like an arrow from a bow, 

 for the largest and finest beast in the herd. And when 

 he has killed him, he always receives the flesh off the ribs 

 for his share. 



Greyhounds are prudent creatures, but also very 

 vain. If a greyhound fails to bring down an antelope 

 which has been pointed out to him by his master, and 

 another dog succeeds in doing it, he feels wounded in his 

 most tender place. This vanity comes mostly from his 

 education. A pure bred greyhound would never think of 

 eating from a dirty plate or drinking milk which any 

 hand had touched. He learns very early to consider 

 that he has a right to the best of everything. Other dogs 

 may almost starve, and accept thankfully the food a 

 greyhound would not look at, but he will lie by his 

 master's side, and sometimes in his bed. He wears a 



