This dreadful object was to open the sports.
"What fools some people are!" I thought.
Minutes were passing away, the tumult increased, impatience was waxing
into anger, when the great red scoundrel, with his immense sugar-loaf
hat, advanced carelessly into the middle of the open space, and cried
solemnly, with his fist upon his hips--
"The onagra of the desert against any dog in the town!"
There was a silence of astonishment. Daniel, the butcher, with staring
eyes and gaping mouth, asks--
"Where is the onagra?"
"There she stands!"
"That! why, it's an ass!"
"It's an onagra."
"Well, let us see what it is," cried the butcher, laughing.
He whistled his dog to come, and, pointing to the ass, cried--
"Foux, catch him!"
But, strange to say, as soon as the ass saw the dog running to the
attack, he turned nimbly round, and launched out with the whole length
of his leg--so well aimed a kick that the dog fell back as if struck by
lightning, with his jaw fractured!
Loud laughter rang all round, while the poor dog fled with a piteous yell
of pain.
The bear-leader smiled at the butcher, and asked--
"Well, what's your opinion? Is my onagra an ass?"
"No," said Daniel, rather ashamed, "it is an onagra.
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