THE BEAR AND THE BOAR : A PRACTICAL JOKE. 183 
The two personages whose conversation we have caught a few 
phrases of in our passage are a bear and a wild boar. The first, a 
gentleman of the largest size, is perched on a great branch of the 
persimmon, and is eagerly occupied with gathering the persim- 
mons. But the fruit being perfectly ripe, and adhering quite 
loosely to their stems, it happens that the most delicious fall like 
hail on the ground at the least shake that the heavy animal gives 
the bough, which greatly discomfits the bear, and provokes from 
him oaths of impatience, but for the same reason charms the wild 
boar epicure, posted at the foot of the tree, and who at each shower 
of persimmons, manifests his satisfaction by a very decided grunt. 
“ About the moment we appeared upon the scene, the irritation 
of the bear had already risen to cherry red, and it was easy to per- 
ceive that it would not be long in reaching a white heat. ‘ Oh ! an 
excessively pleasant idea,^ whispers the spiritual child of Tennes- 
see into my ear . . . ‘Suppose we profit by the cordial ill-will 
that these two beasts bear each other, to set them on a death 
fight.’ ‘How so ?’ ‘Let us see: the method is very simple; one 
of your two barrels is loaded with small shot — ^just put it for me 
into the fleshiest part of that fellow’s body ;’ and he pointed with 
his finger through the leaves at where I should bit. 
“ ‘ I know the bear ;’ added he, ‘ when he has got one idea in 
his head, he has not got it any where else, and as he has been 
wishing much harm to that boar for the last quarter of an hour, 
no one will persuade him but what it is the wild boar that has 
shot at him, and then you will see him jump on the supposed 
aggressor, and take vengeance for this bloody joke.’ 
“‘I tell you we shall have a laugh.’ 
“Quick done as said, I tickle the hairy beast in the rignt spot. 
The bear has hardly felt himself stung, than he gives himself up 
to his fury, and falls like a bombshell upon the unfortunate boar, 
not less innocent of the fault than surprised at the aggression. 
The duel did not last long. The conquering bear prostrated his 
rival and set about tearing him to pieces, but affected not to per- 
ceive that his enemy, before dying, had opened his side with a 
terrible gash of his tusks. His strength soon deserts him however, 
and he totters and doubles up on the body of the slain boar. . . . 
