"Well, gentlemen, the Virtuous Lucy, a tiger of blameless life, lived and moved and had his being, or his pitch, in some hills near a village called Soni, far far away from here, and was greatly loved and respected by all the Simple Villagers of those parts. It is said that such people are never grateful, but the Simple Villagers of Soni were, for I myself saw them at it.
"But why were they grateful to a tiger?" asked the President.
"Because he was their Father and Mother and Protector of the Poor. He killed a black-buck or some other deer, not to mention the porkish wild pig, every night of his life—and the saving in young crops was more than you'd believe. I forget exactly how many tons of jowri and bajri and similar interestin' things one healthy deer eats in the course of a stilly night—but it would surprise you. 'Normous quantity. The headman alone reckoned that Lucy was worth a good Sandown tip to him in February; a winner in the Sandown Military Meeting in March; and in April alone, as good as a triple event in the
