T. Stokes

Paws for thought

December 18, 2006 |  3 comments
Image Credit: A psychic Christmas animal story. Around the fireplace each Christmas comes the tale, probably largely apocryphal, of my elderly grandfather in the 1920’s was a great traveller, and was a regular visitor to the African big game safaris, where exotic animals were shot, and then were often sent home to Britain and stuffed as trophies. As a small boy I remember looking in absolute awe at the water buffalo and elephants heads that adorned the walls of his home, the tiger skin rug that lay in front of the fireplace, and the tales he would tell as he put on his large pith helmet, took the huge gun from above the fireplace and pointed it at us children,and through his enormous moustache told us how he stalked through the bush mile after mile the creatures he would shoot.The 1927 African safari was advertised in the magazines as the biggest and best yet where hunters would compete to be the one who could bag a huge lion seen in what is now the Congo, witness reports described this beast as the biggest on record for the whole of the area, and competition was at fever pitch for who could make the kill.My grandfather was recognized a as crack shot and skilled hunter, and with his trackers Big Sam and tribal chief Magulo, set off to find this huge Lion.The omens from the witch doctor were not good and the Chief predicted strangely,that the lion itself would make the kill.It was early morning 3 days into the hunt when Magulo awoke my grandfather in great excitement describing how he had found the largest lion paw prints he had ever seen by a water hole.After an immediate start, they began following the lion over several days, the trackers would give additional information about the beast and how it knew it was being followed by the 3 men as it had doubled back, and crossed over its paw prints with that of other animals, and walked all along the waterhole.The trackers had seen chewed antelope in dung heaps from this lion, and knew the kind of place it would be sleeping off the meal, and they duly found the lion sleeping and where shocked at its sheer size, they felt it was a special lion and did not want it killed, and asked for clemency,My grandfather is reported to have flown into a rage that there was prize money for this lions kill, and he wanted his head mounted above his bed, and how he would be a brave hero down at his gentlemen’s club.The men set of again, and a day into the hunt Magulo the tracker showed by paw prints that the lion was limping with an injured foot, so they would catch up with him soon now, the trackers stopped and said they could go no further, and the last part would have to be my grandfathers alone.He stood with his gun up at his shoulder when from a nearby bush walked the biggest lion imaginable, with a huge golden main about his head he casually walked up to my grandfather and sat at his feet and put up his injured paw, just dumfounded now, and hypnotized by its size he lowered the gun and drew from the lions paw a large splinter with his fingers, the lion walked away, turned gave a huge roar and disappeared back into the bush.Recovering his composure, and shaking with what happened, my grandfather ordered an immediate return to base.He refused to speak of why he was unable to shoot, and seemed upset for weeks.Down at his club the story of the “one that got away” would bring guffaws of laughter from the other old chaps, and sarcasm when he told of taking the thorn from its paw,and he never hunted again.

Many years later as a very old man he took some great grandchildren to a Christmas circus, to see Zobbo the clown, and Colossus the giant lion, it was while sitting in the front row, as the animals paraded round the ring, that it happened, the biggest lion you ever saw, with a huge golden mane was trotting round the ring when it stopped by my grandfather, and as the ring became totally silent, let out a huge roar, stepped over to him and put up his paw,Granddad stood up in front of his seat as the lionJumped on him and ate him, it was you see a different lion. Comments (3)

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