148 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



down again, repeating the same at the second and 

 third marks, and thereby discovering an incredible 

 agility and skilfulness at shooting. There was a 

 third, who was the only one among them that could, 

 while he was sitting on a bare-backed horse, so soon 

 as ever he came to the marks, lay his back close to 

 the horse's, then stretching his feet up in the air, 

 start upon his feet in a moment, and fix his arrow 

 in the mark. 



At last, when the marks were quite loaded with 

 arrows, the master of the youths, who was an aged, 

 and grey haired man, taking the marks in his hand, 

 first held them up as high as he could, then threw 

 them down to the ground. Upon which his scholars 

 showered down their lances and arrows upon them, as 

 if they had been putting an end to the lives of their 

 wounded enemies, and then went prancing up and 

 down by way of triumph. Among these young men 

 there were three, who fell from their horses ; one 

 of whom expiring as soon as he fell, lest a formal 

 funeral might disorder the rest, was immediately 

 carried off and buried. The other two being almost 

 dead, were likewise carried off for fear of marring the 

 show. The rest of these horsemen, that they might 

 put an end to the games, taking their lances in their 

 hands, and putting spurs to their horses, rode up to 



