But a lion! Even if they went to Africa, how could they lure one out of the bush into the veldt, or get at him, when near a water hole? Their idea was to bring one alive to Belgium, in order to exhibit him. Then, the people would know what the real king of beasts was. Then, the artists and sculptors, also, could make pictures or statues. They might thus be able to learn, and to show, the difference between an imaginary or a paper lion, and the genuine monarch of the jungle.
These two hunters met at a place called Kabouterberg, or the Hill of the Elves, or fairies, called Kabouters; though the Belgian fairies that live in caves, are called Klabbers, or Red Caps. In this hill, which is near Gelrode village, one may see a number of little caves, where they used to live long ago. The two hunters and the elves were great friends. It is even commonly reported among the peasants, that these brave fellows could often see the Klabbers, when no one else could lay eyes on them; for they had unusually sharp eyesight. Though these hunters killed birds and animals for food, or fur, or to sell them, for a living, they were never once cruel. So the little Klabbers, liked the hunters, and never played any quellen, or bad tricks, on [[204]]them, or their traps; though the imps often vexed mean and naughty people. Then these angry folks would call these Red Caps “quel-duivels,” or plaguey rascals, but for this, the Klabbers did not care a copper.
These two hunters having finished their long tramp, the one from the Ardennes and the other from the Campine, met late in the afternoon, at Gelrode. Being hungry, each pulled out of his bag, some sausages and bread; and there they sat eating until twilight.
“I hope we shall see the Klabbers, tonight,” said one fellow to the other. “I wonder if they are likely to come out.”
“I think it probable,” said the other. “The little Red Caps play around here very often. I’ve seen them before. They are always up to some tricks, or play, and I like to see them at it.”
The hunters had not long to wait, for no sooner had the shades of evening fallen, than out of the small caves in the hill, issued the funniest sort of a procession of little people, of all colors. Some had green faces and hands and others had blue. Each bore a tiny lantern, hardly as big as a glow worm; so that they looked like a line of fireflies. They made a sort of parade, several hundreds of feet long. Each one had, stuck in his belt, a little roll of something. [[205]]
A Klabber is about half as high as a yard stick. As to their bodies, some were all red, from top to bottom, some yellow, some pink, and some blue.
There were a few white and black ones, but all had either green or blue hands and faces, with red caps on their heads.
Having come out for a frolic, they soon ranged themselves, in two long opposite rows, one against the other.
Then they began to dance, and caper, and tumble head over heels, and pull each other’s noses, which made the two hunters laugh heartily.