How the affair might have ended had the panda and the hornbill been the
only parties to the combat, can but be guessed at. In all likelihood
the quadruped would have triumphed over the biped: the entrance would
have been forced; the old hen dragged off her nest--perhaps killed and
eaten--and the eggs after her.
But it was not written in the book of destiny that this should be the
_denouement_ of that little drama: for at that moment an incident
occurred which changed the whole character of the contest--followed by a
series of other incidents which brought the affair to a termination
unexpected by all parties engaged, as well as by those who witnessed it.
The first of these incidents--and that which formed the key to this
change in the circumstances of the combat, was one of a very ludicrous
character--so much so as to elicit laughter from the spectators in the
tree.
It chanced that the eyes of the panda, as the animal stood erect on its
hind quarters, were directly opposite the little aperture that
represented the entrance to the nest. Not dreaming of any danger in
that direction, the robber only thought of guarding his "daylights"
against the hornbill upon the wing. But the hen bird inside the nest--
who could see well enough what was passing outside--had no idea of
remaining a passive spectator; and perceiving her opportunity--for she
was within striking distance--she quietly drew back her long ivory beak,
and, throwing all the strength of her neck into the effort--assisted by
the weight of her heavy helmeted head--as if with the blow of a
pick-axe, she struck the panda right in the eye--the sharp point
penetrating almost to its skull.
Terror-stricken, partly by surprise at this unexpected stroke, and
partly by the pain caused by it, the quadruped uttered a shrill cry; and
at once scrambling down from the tree, seemed only anxious to make his
escape. In this design he, no doubt, would have succeeded, with only
the loss of an eye; but the eye of still another enemy had been upon
him--one whom he had yet to encounter. Fritz, from his position near
the bottom of the tree, attracted by the noise of the strife, had drawn
nearer; and looking up, had been watching the combat throughout. It is
scarcely probable that the sympathies of honest Fritz could have been
otherwise than in favour of the innocent bird, and against the guilty
beast; but whatever way they may have been inclined, certain it is that
as the panda came to "grass," the dog "jumped" it upon the instant, and
commenced worrying it, as if the creature had been the oldest and
bitterest of his enemies!
Despite the suddenness of this new attack--equally unexpected as the
peck in the eye--the fierce panda showed no signs of yielding without a
struggle; and, although far overmatched by its canine antagonist, it was
likely to give the latter a scratch or two, as souvenirs that he would
carry to his grave.
But at this moment a much greater danger was threatening Fritz than any
harm he might suffer from the claws of the panda; and had chance not
favoured him, as he jumped about in the struggle, by turning his eyes in
a particular direction, he would have found himself in the clutches of
an antagonist, that would have shown him as little mercy as he was
himself extending to the poor panda.
But he was favoured by chance: for it was nothing more that directed his
glance towards his old pursuer, the elephant; and showed him the latter,
at that moment advancing upon him at a charging pace, with eyes
sparkling in silent vengeance, and trunk extended to seize him. Under
the circumstances, it did not cost Fritz a moment's calculation as to
what course he should pursue. Suddenly dropping the panda--as if he had
discovered the quadruped to be a lump of poison--he bounded from the
spot in a direction the very opposite to that by which the elephant was
approaching; and in less than a score of seconds the only part of him to
be seen was the tip of his tail just disappearing into the thicket.
Of all the creatures that had borne part in this curious affray, the
poor panda was perhaps the most to be pitied. At all events he was the
most unfortunate: for with the drama ended also his life. In every one
encountered by him he had found an enemy; and in the last he met with a
dread foe that soon made a finish of him. This last was the elephant.
The great animal, rushing forward upon Fritz, seeing that the latter had
escaped, was determined this time not to be baulked of a victim.
Instead of carrying out the design it had only partially resolved upon--
that of following Fritz into the forest--it suddenly altered its plan,
and transferred its hostility to the panda. It saw that the latter was
within reach: for half blinded by the beak of the bird, and half worried
to death by the dog, the creature did not perceive, as Fritz had done,
the approach of the elephant. It is possible it may have seen the
danger, but not until the elephant had got in such dangerous proximity
as left it no chance of escape.
Before the panda could make the slightest effort to get away from the
ground, the elephant had lapped its prehensile proboscis around it, and
lifted it into the air as if its body had been no heavier than a
feather. Holding it aloft, the merciless monster took several long
strides in the direction of the fallen obelisk; and then, as if choosing
a spot suitable for its design, it placed the still struggling body of
the panda upon the ground, set its huge fore-feet upon it, and using
them alternately, continued to trample it until the only vestige left of
the crushed creature was a shapeless mass of fur and flesh!
It was a painful spectacle to those in the tree; but it was succeeded by
a sight that was pleasant to all three--the sight of the elephant's hind
quarters as it walked off toward the woods, evidently with the intention
of retiring from the ground.
Whether its vengeance had been satisfied by the destruction of the
panda, or whether it had gone off in search of Fritz, none of the three
could conjecture; but whatever may have been the motive, certain it is
that it guided the rogue from the spot, and raised a siege that was on
the point of becoming exceedingly irksome.