Take a crane with your old “make-hawk,” show it to her and let it fly, and then feed her up on it. Next, give her two more “trains” of common crane released secretly: these should have meat tied on their backs. As soon as she takes the “train” feed her up.
Now go out and find a half-tame[620] crane; stalk it, and get as close as possible to it; then, placing your reliance on God, fly your young hawk at it. The nearer you get to the crane the better. As soon as your young hawk has got a short distance, cast off an old “make-hawk” to her assistance. The first hawk will make a stoop or two; the “make-hawk” will then arrive, and will keep the crane engaged and overpowered till your mounted assistant, arriving in all haste, secures it and prevents it doing an injury to the hawk. Feed up your young hawk on the crane. She is now well on the road to being quite made.
Should this tame crane take wing when you get close to it, on no account be tempted to fly your hawk at it, for the crane may get away a long distance before your hawk binds to it; and a second crane then joining in the fray to assist its fellow, both birds may so buffet and injure your hawk that she will be useless for further sport, or else so frighten her that she will ignore the lure and be lost. In either case the labour of two years will be lost.
Hawks,[621] whether long-winged or short-winged, are of two kinds; those that the falconer must assist, and those that assist the falconer. A hawk that is mettled, high-spirited, and valiant, if given but one “train,” is made: such a hawk gives assistance to the falconer. Another requires ten “trains” and bagged birds; such a hawk demands assistance from the falconer.
Well, for five or six days you must fly your hawk secretly[622] as described above.
Now listen attentively to what I am going to say. When you are stalking this solitary half-tame crane—or it may be two cranes—should they become alert and seem ready to take wing, hood your hawk and move off to a little distance that they may settle down and again busy themselves with grazing. Should they take wing and settle again, follow them up, or else find others, one, or two, or three—not more. As soon as they settle down to their walking about and picking up grain, unhood your hawk even though the distance be somewhat more, and when your hawk sights the crane, place your trust in God and cast her off. You must judge the distance, and when your hawk is twenty or thirty yards from the crane, you and all your mounted men[623] must suddenly burst into a gallop, i.e., you must so time matters that just as the crane is forced to take wing the hawk reaches it. At the first stoop all three cranes are sure to fall and sit on the ground. You and your falconers will then reach them and they will again rise. Your hawk, however, will be in the air and will command all three. If you see that your hawk is slack, then without hesitation cast off an old “make-hawk” to her assistance.
Whate’er the aim I have in view,
Whate’er the deed I try to do,
Success, I’m certain, will be mine
With Thee to help me, Lord Divine!