Og’s heart almost stopped beating. Yet, with all his fear, he never moved a muscle, for he realized that the tiger knew he was close at hand, but had not yet been able to locate him, and until it did it would not spring upon him. It must see[98] him first and know for a certainty just where he was before it would risk a charge or any quick movement.
Softly and slowly it slipped forward, from stone to stone and from bowlder to bowlder, taking advantage of every shelter and waiting long and patiently in the deep shadows while its evil eyes searched every possible hiding place to locate its victim. So well hidden were Og and the wolves, and so silent did they keep, that the big cat was completely baffled. But Og knew that the natural determination of the beast would not let it give up the search for him, and it was inevitable5 that it would find him and pounce6 upon him, breaking his neck with one sweep of its terrible paw, or cleaving7 his backbone8 with its mighty9 jaws10. What was he to do? What chance would he have, even with his stone hammer and the alliance of the wolf cubs11, against this monstrous12 man-eater?
In the desperation of the moment an idea was born. He wondered how solidly this rock that he crouched behind was embedded13 in the side of the canyon. He remembered that when he had located it during the hours of daylight he had noted14 that it was none too well fixed15 in its place.[99] He wondered how great a shove would be needed to send it crashing down the slope to the bottom of the canyon, twenty or thirty feet below. He wondered whether he had the strength to start it on its downward path. It seemed to be his only hope. Softly he put his shoulder against it and tried it. It moved with unexpected ease and made a grating noise, at the same time dislodging loose dirt and pebbles16 that rolled down the slope, making a surprisingly loud noise in the stillness.
The tiger flattened17 against the ground with a soft hiss18 and its ears went back against its head, while its eyes glowed like live coals. Og, frightened by what he had done, loosened his grip upon the wolf cubs and stood up. Instantly the tiger saw him and gave voice to a roar that echoed and reechoed across the narrow canyon, and sent chills racing19 up and down the back of the hairy boy and the whimpering wolf cubs. Then, like a flash, it charged.
Two great leaps brought it to the foot of the slope, and with swift and powerful strides it began to climb among the rocks directly beneath Og. The hairy boy watched it over the top of the bowlder, trying to time his attack so that the big beast would be in a position from which it could not[100] escape when he should launch the heavy boulder20. He knew that a mistake on his part meant swift and sudden death for him. He knew that unless he could bowl the great cat over and crush it down with the rock his end would follow quickly.
Up mounted the tiger, mouth opened, fangs21 bared, and eyes glowing. Og could see the beast distinctly now, in spite of the darkness, and he realized what a hideous22 fate would be his if luck were not with him, or his strength or nerve should fail him. He gritted23 his teeth and braced24 both hands against the boulder, at the same time planting his short, crooked25 legs firmly against the ground.
The tiger came on, but the steep slope retarded27 its progress. In spite of its great claws its footing on the rocks was not certain and small stones were dislodged and rolled clattering28 down to the bottom of the canyon as it climbed. It was half way up the slope now, half between the canyon bottom and the terror-stricken hairy boy. Og dared not let it come further, for it might reach firmer footing and with one terrific spring pounce upon him. The hairy boy gave a mighty heave, putting all the strength in his powerful back and legs in the shove. The boulder, with a crunching[101] noise, came out of its insecure resting place, balanced a moment on edge, then in a shower of stones and dust tipped over and crashed down the incline on its journey of destruction.
The tiger saw it coming, and for an instant it paused and flattened itself against the slope, spitting viciously. That pause was fatal. The next instant, realizing its danger, it tried to leap forward and fling itself out of the path of the whirling boulder, but the great stone crashed upon it before it could leave the ground. Momentarily there was a pause in the mad career of the stone, then it sped on, and with it, grinding against other boulders29, went the clawing, spitting body of the big tiger.
To the bottom of the slope they rolled together, in a mad whirlwind of flying stones and dust. There they landed with a crash, the heavy stone pinning the great mottled cat against another and larger boulder that stopped the wild plunge30. There it lay, scratching and clawing at the huge stone that held it prisoner and making the night hideous with its terrible screams.
Og and the wolf cubs remained on the slope of the canyon wall trembling and wondering what was to happen next. But when the boy discovered[102] the condition of the beast and knew for a certainty that it was held captive by the weight of the stone, he added his voice to the general din4 and gave the hairy man’s hunting call of triumph. Again and again he shouted in wild ecstasy31, then, seizing his newly made stone hammer, he scrambled32 down to the bottom of the canyon, and, swinging his weapon over his head, crashed it down upon the tiger’s head. Again and again he beat it until the great head bled from a dozen different wounds, and the animal lay still among the rocks. Then once more Og raised his voice in a triumphant33 shout that echoed and reechoed up and down the canyon and out into the pleasant valley, where the tree people heard it and wondered.
All night long Og and the wolf cubs paced up and down beside the dead tiger, the hairy boy gloating over his achievement and enjoying his triumph to the fullest. He kicked the limp body, and spat34 upon it. He called it dreadful names in the tongue of the hairy people, he stood upon it, sat astride it, pulled its tail, and finally sat down and watched it proudly.
Then he proceeded with his skinning, while the wolf cubs looked silently on
And well might the hairy boy be proud of his accomplishment35. The great cave tigers had taken a heavy toll36 of his people for many years, yet[103] never to Og’s knowledge had anyone of his tribe, even his father, who was the mightiest37 hunter of them all, ever slain38 one of these terrible beasts single-handed. Indeed, Og had only heard of one ever having been killed, and that was one that, wounded and sick from a recent encounter with a hairy rhinoceros39, had crawled to the river for water. There the hairy people had found it and cornered it. The whole tribe had joined in the killing40 of it and they had stoned and clubbed it to death. Og had seen the skin, or that part of it that could be salvaged41. Old Gog, the scarred and irritable42 old war leader of the clan43, would bring out the small piece of it that was left and drape it about his loins at feasts and on other state occasions.
Og realized with an overwhelming feeling of importance that he now possessed44 a whole skin to boast about when he should meet his people. He was wealthier now than any hairy man had ever been, or at least he would be when he had skinned the tiger. He was eager now for dawn to come so that he could begin that important task.
The first gray light of morning found Og searching about among the stones in the canyon for one that would make a satisfactory skinning[104] knife. He searched long and hard, for he was beginning to appreciate the value of good tools, and he meant to have a knife that would do its work well. Again he was fortunate in finding a piece of flint; a large scale this time, that had a sharper edge than any knife that Og had ever possessed. He was elated, and he resolved, as he admired the cutting edge and tried it on the handle of his hammer, that he would not throw it away as most hairy people did the sharp stones they used for the same purpose. Instead, he would keep it, and perhaps, by chipping it as he had done the hammer head, he could make it even more serviceable.
With the coming of the first rays of the sun Og was bending over the prostrate45 form of the huge tiger. He had rolled the boulder partly away and dragged the carcass out from its death trap. Then he proceeded with his skinning, while the wolf cubs looked silently on or explored among the rocks for small animals on which they might breakfast.
It was at this work that the wondering and thoroughly46 frightened tree people found him when they began to gather timidly about the entrance of the canyon. And when they saw the sabre-toothed[105] one stretched prone47 on the ground with the one that they had meant to be his victim bending over him they squealed48 in amazement49 and jabbered50 among themselves, but none of them, not even old Scar Face, had the courage to enter the canyon and come near him.
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1
flatten
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| v.把．．．弄平，使倒伏；使(漆等)失去光泽 | |
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canyon
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| n.峡谷，溪谷 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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pounce
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| n.猛扑；v.猛扑，突然袭击，欣然同意 | |
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cleaving
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| v.劈开，剁开，割开( cleave的现在分词 ) | |
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backbone
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| n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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cubs
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| n.幼小的兽，不懂规矩的年轻人( cub的名词复数 ) | |
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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embedded
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| a.扎牢的 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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pebbles
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| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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boulder
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| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
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fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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gritted
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| v.以沙砾覆盖（某物），撒沙砾于( grit的过去式和过去分词 )；咬紧牙关 | |
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24
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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crunching
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| v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的现在分词 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄 | |
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retarded
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| a.智力迟钝的，智力发育迟缓的 | |
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clattering
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的现在分词形式） | |
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boulders
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| n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾 | |
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30
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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32
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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33
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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accomplishment
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| n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能 | |
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toll
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| n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟) | |
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mightiest
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| adj.趾高气扬( mighty的最高级 )；巨大的；强有力的；浩瀚的 | |
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38
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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39
rhinoceros
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| n.犀牛 | |
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40
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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41
salvaged
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| （从火灾、海难等中）抢救（某物）( salvage的过去式和过去分词 )； 回收利用（某物） | |
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42
irritable
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| adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的 | |
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43
clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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44
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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45
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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46
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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47
prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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48
squealed
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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50
jabbered
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| v.急切而含混不清地说( jabber的过去式和过去分词 )；急促兴奋地说话 | |
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