THE BROWN BEAR. 43 



tired of these provocations, lie rushes* out in great 

 fury. 



At sight of the peasant he rises on his hams 

 and springs forth; but the Fin is ready for him, 

 holding in front the iron point of his lance pressed 

 against his breast, and carefully concealing the stem, 

 in order that the length of the weapon may not 

 arouse the suspicion of the animal, who otherwise 

 would parry with his paws the blow which the 

 hunter is ready to give him. The latter walks 

 straight up to the encounter, and, when the distance 

 between them is so little that the monster, extending 

 his arms, is on the point of reaching him, suddenly 

 the weapon is darted forth, with a firm hand and a 

 sure eye, through the heart of the bear. 



Had the bar of iron not been placed thus crosswise, 

 the animal, although mortally wounded, would have 

 fallen on the man and have done him serious injury, 

 but this bar arrests him in his spring, and the hunter 

 soon turns him over. " What will seem extraordi- 

 nary, " says a naturalist, " is that the bear, instead of 

 endeavouring to tear out the lance, holds it tightly 

 with his paws, and forces it more deeply into the 

 wound." 



This triumph is concluded by a little fete, at which 

 there is always present a poet to sing the valour of 

 the hunter. 



