Pakhal Naddi of the Palm Trees. 



53 



" Hough hough hough !" the Grey- 

 boar foaming ! 



True bites spear-point, point of shoulder 

 passing like a stroke of lightning 

 such the force of that mad impact 

 glances far and deeply through him j 

 but the speed of such an impact, 

 Grey-boar up the haft it hurls him j 

 cleanly keen, tush slices stifle* 

 stifle of the sturdy Waler j 

 cracks stout bamboo, splinters spear-haft, 

 foaming Grey-boar's left behind us 

 standing sternly ominous, and grimly, 

 like some tide-set rock the surges 

 rushing over leave behind them. 



So it comes last fierce finale, 

 reins all tugging wrenching wheel- 

 ing ; 



dry lips panting wide eyes staring 

 spurring back on Grey-boar reeling 

 " Hough hough hough ! " brave boar ! 



still fighting- 

 grunting charging tushes tossing 

 fiercely upward ! Let 'em all come ! 

 Till at last foes ever facing 

 comes some strangely weary faintness, 

 dies the light from eyes courageous, 

 sinks to earth boar grey and glorious J 



000 



Home o'er brown fields quietly jog- 

 ging 



passed hot gallop passed fierce kill- 

 ing 



let us ponder on this killing. 

 " How he must have felt that killing, 

 ' grim old Grey-boar ! brave old Grey- 

 boar ! 



" rather I the kindly bullet 

 " sudden, thudding, numbing bullet 

 " than that chill blue lance's probing. 

 " Ugh ! the gory lance so probing. 

 " Cruel fate thine ! poor old Grey-boar 

 " (falls o'er eyes a misty feeling.) 



" Not a bit, dear boys \ believe me, 

 " in a tearing, fighting gallop, 

 " when the end comes comes it glori- 

 ous ! 



" for in such a fight uproarious, 

 " where is dread anticipation ? 

 " dead to pain is all sensation ! 

 ** Just one rushing slashing roar- 

 ing 



*' howling maddening exultation 

 " then Oblivion. Drops some Cur- 

 tain. 



" At its brightest, life's lamp broken. 

 " But the flame that's so extinguished, 

 " naught /'/ knows when how 

 extinguished !" 



Therefore, give us, good old 

 Pakhal !- 



dear old palm- fringed Pakhal Naddi ! 

 Boars in plenty gallops glorious, 

 many such a fight uproarious 



Pakhal Naddi of the Palm Tret* ! 



