The King said a word and a scribe appeared whom he commanded to take
note of my words and let the matter be inquired of, since some should
suffer for this neglect, a saying at which I saw Houman and certain of
the nobles turn pale and whisper to each other.

"Now I remember," he exclaimed, "that I did desire Idernes to send me
an Egyptian hunter. Well, you are here and we are about to hunt the
lion of which there are many in yonder reeds, hungry and fierce
beasts, since for three days they have been herded in so that they can
kill no food. How many lions have you slain, Shabaka?"

"Fifty and three in all, O King, not counting the cubs."

He stared at me, answering with a sneer,

"You Egyptians have large mouths. I have always heard it of you. Well,
to-day we will see whether you can kill a fifty-fourth. In an hour
when the sun begins to sink, the hounds will be loosed in yonder reeds
and since the water is behind them, the lions will come out, and then
we shall see."

Now I saw that the King thought me to be a liar and the blood rose to
my head.

"Why wait till the sun begins to sink, O King of kings?" I said. "Why
not enter the reeds, as is our fashion in the Land of Kush, and rouse
the lions from sleep in their own lair?"

Now the King laughed outright and called in a loud voice to his