But the tiger still kicked and kicked, and would not agree to be dead at once, as any other animal would. People say that a cat has nine lives; then a tiger must have ninety-nine lives. So this tiger jumped about, torn up as he was, and glared at the Englishmen in the trees, trying to get at them, while they were loading their guns for another shot.
But the buffaloes went on charging, and caught up with the tiger. They rushed upon him, and now the torn-up tiger could not get away. So the buffaloes trampled upon him, and then the tiger agreed to lie still and be dead, really and truly.
The six Englishmen began to climb down from the trees, as they thought the excitement was all over. But the herdsman called out to them at once:
"Please go up again—quick! Don't let my buffaloes see you!"
For I must tell you now that buffaloes do not like strangers. They may be very fond of their own friends in the village; but if they should see a stranger, they would charge him just as quickly as they would charge a tiger. And the Englishmen would look quite strange to the buffaloes.
So the Englishmen remembered that, and stayed up in the trees till the buffaloes were taken away.
The buffaloes were taken to the pond; and as the herdsman would not bother to stay with them there, he left the buffaloes in the pond to do as they pleased till evening.
The six Englishmen had their lunch there, when they got down from the trees. They gave their guns to their servants, to carry away to the palace. Afterwards the Englishmen walked about, smoking their cigars, as they did not want to return to the palace so soon.
But four or five hours passed, and still they had not come back to the palace. It was nearly evening, and still they had not come.
And in the village Gulab said to his Papa, who was the herdsman, "Papa, I shall bring the buffaloes home now."