Without waiting to hear more Dorothy ran to get Billina, and just outside the door she came upon the Cowardly Lion, still hitched to the chariot beside the great
Tiger
. The Cowardly Lion had a big bow of blue ribbon fastened to the long hair between his ears, and the
Tiger
wore a bow of red ribbon on his tail, just in front of the bushy end.
Below him a little were the vanguard of the deer; below these, again, the pig and the wild buffalo; and on the opposite bank, where the tall trees came down to the water's edge, was the place set apart for the Eaters of Flesh--the
tiger
, the wolves, the panther, the bear, and the others.
"We are all threatened," answered the
tiger
, "by a fierce enemy which has lately come into this forest.
A MAN-EATING
tiger
was ravaging the Kingdom of Damnasia, and the King, greatly concerned for the lives and limbs of his Royal subjects, promised his daughter Zodroulra to any man who would kill the animal.
With the report of his rifle the
tiger
stopped short in apparent surprise, then turned and bit savagely at its shoulder for an instant, after which it wheeled again toward Delcarte, issuing the most terrific roars and screams, and launched itself, with incredible speed, toward the brave fellow, who now stood his ground pumping bullets from his automatic rifle as rapidly as the weapon would fire.
At the sound of the roaring of the
tiger
the bull's bellowing became a veritable frenzy of rageful noise.
One was a tawny lion, as tall as a horse, nearly; the other a striped
tiger
almost the same size.
The first was of the big Indian
tiger
. Free-born in the jungle, and free all his days, master, according to his nature and prowess, of all other living creatures including his fellow-
tigers
, he had come to grief in the end; and, from the trap to the cramped cage, by elephant-back and railroad and steamship, ever in the cramped cage, he had journeyed across seas and continents to Mulcachy's Animal Home.
The other was a great
Tiger
with purple stripes around his lithe body, powerful limbs, and eyes that showed through the half closed lids like coals of fire.
I thought at first you were a tapir or a
tiger
. No harm intended.
We would not have strayed had we not been teasing a
tiger
. Please do not laugh.
Even the
tiger
runs and hides when little Tabaqui goes mad, for madness is the most disgraceful thing that can overtake a wild creature.