PANTHER. | NATURAL HISTORY. 231 
eyes. And this beast whelpeth but once, and the cause 
thereof is openly known :—for when the whelps wax strong 
in the mother’s womb, they hate the mother, and rend her 
womb with claws, and therefore the mother letteth pass 
and whelpeth them. The Panther hateth the dragon, and 
the dragon fleeth him. And when he hath eaten enough 
at full, he hideth him in his den, and sleepeth continually 
nigh three days, and riseth after three days and crieth, and 
out of his mouth cometh right good air and savour, and 
is passing measure sweet; and for the sweetness all beasts 
follow him ; and only the dragon is afeard when he heareth 
his voice, and fleeth into a den, and may not suffer the 
smell thereof, and faileth in himself, and loseth his comfort, 
for he weeneth that his smell is very venom. And all 
four-footed beasts have liking to behold the diverse colours 
of the Panthers and tigers, but they be afeard of the 
horribleness of their heads; and therefore they hide their 
heads, and toll [#.e., draw] the beasts to them with fairness 
of that other deal of the body, and take them when they 
come so tolled, and eat them. And though he be a right 
cruel beast, yet he is not unkind to them that help and 
succour him in any wise. 
Bartholomew (Berthelet), bk, xviii. § 82. 
