94 
THE STORY OF THE TIGER . 
sudden leap, Kagra was upon his enemy, and was received with such a hearty 
grip that it was difficult to tell which was the assailant and which the defendant. 
Their huge tails lashed the air with mad fury; their enormous jaws seemed 
literally buried in each other’s throats, while the deep and formidable claws 
of each were plunged furiously into the neck of the other. 
Thus they gradually rose to an upright position, the whole weight of the 
body resting upon the hind legs, still straining and swaying one another 
backwards and forwards with almost incredible force and energy, in the mortal 
embrace. Their height must have exceeded six feet as they stood thus erect 
and ponderous, their distended eyes literally darting fire, and bloody foam 
quivering on their lips. 
Gradually their furious struggles became less and less; and it was apparent 
that all their vital energies were hazarded on this last decisive grapple. Life 
and death were upon its issue, and it must now depend upon strength alone as 
to which would be thrown undermost, and thus compelled to- abandon his 
hold. 
The silence all around the arena,, and in the galleries, was unbroken and 
oppressive. The audience seemed fearful even to draw a breath, and every 
eye was riveted upon the two ferocious beasts as they glared on one another 
in that terrible embrace. You might have heard the fall of a pin through 
the intense, painful hush of that moment of suspense. It was not long pro¬ 
tracted, however. Kagra, more accustomed than his adversary to these con¬ 
tests, threw him over by a lightning movement, as unexpected as sudden, and 
the jungle tiger rolled over on its back in the arena, still clasped in the iron 
hug of Kagra. 
An irrepressible murmur passed through the assemblage—a triumphant 
shout on the part of Kagra’s backers was heard—but it was only for an instant. 
The jungle tiger struck his sharp claws into- the eyes of Kagra, tearing one 
from its socket; and with an unearthly yell the wounded monster let go his 
hold, and strove to retreat from the contest. This, however, was not accord¬ 
ing to the jungle tiger’s plans. He clung tightly and immovably to the quiver¬ 
ing throat of his antagonist, and was dragged a few steps along the inclosure 
by the struggles of Kagra; then, suddenly springing from the ground, he 
threw himself on his adversary, tearing, biting, and rending him with savage 
triumph. When the battle was over, the king ordered his attendants to drive 
the jungle tiger to his cage with their white-hot irons. Popular favor was 
wholly with the victor and Kagra went to his cage without sympathy or alle¬ 
viation for his wounds. He died the next day. 
