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any rate his taildo you call it his tail； Mahatma？〃
〃That will do；〃 I answered。
〃Well； his tail was towards me； it looked very round and shiny。 The
shot from Tom's gun hit it everywhere。 I wish they had all gone into
it； but as he was so far away the charge scattered and six of the
bullets struck me。 Oh！ they did hurt。 Put your hand on my back；
Mahatma； and you will feel the six lumps they made beneath the grey
tufts of hair that grew over them； for they are still there。〃
Forgetting that we were on the Road； I stretched out my hand； but； of
course； it went quite through the hare； although I could see the six
little grey tufts clearly enough。
〃You are foolish； Hare； you don't remember that your body is not here
but somewhere else。〃
〃Quite true； Mahatma。 If it were here I could not be talking to you；
could I？ As a matter of fact； I have no body now。 It isoh； never
mind where。 Still； you can see the grey tufts； can't you？ Well； I only
hope that those shot hurt that fat boy half as much as they did me。
No； I don't mean that I hope it now； I used to hope it。
My goodness！ didn't he screech； much worse than my father when his
legs were broken。 And didn't everybody else roar and shout； and didn't
I dance？ Off I went right over the fat boy； who had tumbled down； up
to the end of the field； then so bewildered was I with shock and the
burning pain； back again quite close to them。
But now nobody shot at me because they all thought the boy was killed
and were gathered round him looking very solemn。 Only I saw that the
Red…faced Man had Tom by the neck and was kicking him hard。
After that I saw no more； for I ran five miles before I stopped； and
at last lay down in a little swamp near the seashore to which my
mother had once taken me。 My back was burning like fire； and I tried
to cool it in the soft slush。
THE COURSING
Quite a moon went by before I recovered from Tom's shot。 At first I
thought that I was going to die； for； although luckily none of my
bones were broken； the pain in my back was dreadful。 When I tried to
ease the agony by rubbing against roots it only became worse； for the
fur fell off； leaving sores upon which flies settled。 I could scarcely
eat or sleep； and grew so thin that the bones nearly poked through my
pelt。 Indeed I wanted very much to die； but could not。 On the
contrary； by degrees I recovered； till at last I was quite strong
again and like other hares； except for the six little grey tufts upon
my back and one hole through my right ear。
Now all this while I had lived in the swamp near the sea； but when my
strength returned I thought of my old home； to which something seemed
to draw me。 Also there were no turnips near the swamp； and as the
winter came on I found very little to eat there。 So one day； or rather
one night； I travelled back home。
As it happened the first hare that I met near the big wood was my
sister。 She was very glad to see me； although she had forgotten how we
came to part； and when I spoke of our father and mother these did not
seem to interest her。 Still from that time forward we lived together
more or less till her end came。
One daythis was after we had made our home in the big wood； as hares
often do in winterthere was a great disturbance。 When we tried to go
out to feed at daylight we found little fires burning everywhere； and
near to them boys who beat themselves and shouted。 So we went back
into the wood； where the pheasants were running to and fro in a great
state of mind。
Some hours later； when the sun was quite high； men began to march
about and scores of shots were fired a long way off； also a wounded
cock…pheasant fell near to us and fluttered away； making a queer noise
in its throat。 It looked very funny stumbling along on one leg with
its beak gaping and two of the long feathers in its tail broken。
〃I know what this is；〃 I said to my sister。 〃Let's be gone before they
shoot us。 I've had enough of being shot。〃
So off we went； rushing past a boy by his fire； who yelled and threw a
stick at us。 But as it happened； on the borders of the property of the
Red…faced Man there were poachers who knew that hares would come out
of the wood on this day of the shooting and had made ready for us by
setting wire nooses in the gaps of the hedges through which we ran。 I
got my foot into one of these but managed to shake it off。 My sister
was not so lucky； for her head went into another of them。 She kicked
and tore； but the more she struggled the tighter drew the noose。
I watched her for a little while until one of the poachers ran up with
a stick。
Then I went away； as I could not bear to see her beaten to death； and
that was the end of my sister。 So now I was the only one left alive of
our family； except perhaps some younger brothers whom I did not know；
though I think it was one of these that afterwards I saw shot quite
dead by Giles。 He went over and over and lay as still as though he had
never moved in all his life。 Death seems a very wonderful thing；
Mahatma； but I won't ask you what it is because I perceive that you
can't answer。
After this nothing happened to me for a long while。 Indeed I had the
best time of my life and grew very strong and big； yes； the strongest
and biggest hare of any that I ever saw； also the swiftest of foot。
Twice I was chased by dogs； once by Giles's black beast； Nigger； and
once by that of a shepherd。 Finding that I could run right away from
them without exerting myself at all； I grew to despise dogs。 Ah！
little did I know then that there are many different breeds of these
animals。
One day in mid…winter； as the weather was very mild and open； I was
lying on the rough grass field that I have spoken of which borders a
flat stretch of moorland。 On this moorland in summer grew tall ferns；
but now these had died and been broken down by the wind。 Suddenly I
woke up from my sleep to see a number of men walking and riding
towards me。
They were tenants and others who； although the real coursing season
had not yet begun in our neighbourhood； had been asked by Grampus to
come to try their greyhounds upon his land。 Those of them who walked
for the most part held two long； lean dogs on a string； while one or
two carried dead hares。 They were dreadful…looking hares that seemed
to have been bitten all over； at least their coats were wet and
broken。 I shivered at the sight of them； feeling sure that I was going
to be put to some new kind of torture。
Besides the men on foot were those on horseback； among whom I
recognised the Red…faced Man and my enemy； the dreadful Tom。 Most of
the others were people called farmers； who seemed very happy and
excited and from time to time drank something out of little bottles
which they passed to each other。 Giles was not there。 Now I know that
this was because he hated coursing； which killed down hares。 Hares； he
thought； out to be shot； not coursed。
Whilst I watched； wondering what to do； there was a shout of 〃There
she goes！〃 and all the long dogs began to pull at their strings。 Off
the necks of two of them the collars seemed to fall； and away they
leapt pursuing a hare。 The men on the horses galloped after them； but
the men on foot remained where they were。
Now I was afraid to get up and run lest they should loose the other
dogs on me； so I lay still； till presently I saw the hare coming back
towards me； followed by the two dogs whose noses almost touched its
tail。 It was exhausted and tried to twist and spring away to the
right。 But as it did so one of the dogs caught it in its mouth and bit
it till it died。
〃That was a rotten hare；〃 said Tom； who cantered up just then； 〃it
gave no course at all。〃
〃Yes；〃 puffed Grampus。 〃Hope the next one will show better sport。〃
〃Hope so too；〃 answered Tom； 〃especially as it is Jack and Jill's turn
to be slipped； and they are the best greyhounds for twenty miles
round。〃
Then the Red…faced Man gave some orders and Jack and Jill were brought
forward by the man whose business it was to slip the dogs。 One of them
was black and one yellow； I think Jack was the black onea dreadful；
sneaking…looking beast with a white tip to its tail； which ended in a
sort of curl。
〃Forward now；〃 said Grampus； 〃and go slow。 There's sure to be another
puss or two in this rough grass。〃
Next second I was up and away； and before you could count twelve Jack
and Jill were after me。 I saw them standing on their hind legs
straining at the cord。 Then the collars fell from them and they leapt
forward like the light。 My thought was to get back to the wood； which
was about a minute's run behind me； but I did not dare to turn and
head for it because of the long line of people through which I must
pass if I tried to do so。 So I ran straight for the moorland； hoping
to turn there and reach the wood on its other side； although this
meant a long journey。
For a while all went well with me； and having a good start I began to
hope that I should outrun these beasts； as I had the shepherd's dog
and the retriever。 But I did not know Jack and Jill。 Just as I reached
the borders of the moor I heard the patter of their feet behind me；
and looking back saw them coming