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Then one day, as
unexpectedly as he had left, the lion returned, shining out of the
dark trees like- the sun. In his mouth he carried a piece of red,
dripping meat.
'Sir!'
Hari cried, and prostrated himself.
The lion walked up
to him without greeting him, and dropped the meat at his nose.
'Eat
that!' he commanded.
And though Hari
knew that he was irrevocably breaking the final bond with his own
kind, he did as he was told and sunk his teeth into the red flesh
and tasted blood.
Then a wonderful
thing happened to him. His brain reeled, and he felt rays of light
pouring through his body. A tremendous strength flowed through every
sinew. He grew vast and powerful. Lionliness permeated every cell of
his being. He was conscious of his thick mane, of his gleaming
teeth, of his strong, supple body; he was conscious of his royalty,
And he knew without any doubt that the reflection in the pool was
his own and that the golden light shining behind the eyes of his
master was his very Self.
And suddenly
roared.
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