r festivity.

Here he found ten or twelve fires, with a number of males and females,
some sitting, and some dancing around them to the sound of rustic
music.

Misnar inquired the cause of their mirth.

"What!" said an ancient female, "though you are a stranger in
Tarapajan, and know not that the Feast of Tigers is celebrated by
these nightly fires, yet must you now learn that no stranger comes but
to partake of our joy, nor departs till, the fires are extinct."

"And how long," said Misnar, "doth this feast last?"

"This," answered the old woman, "is the third night, and these fires
must blaze yet eleven nights and days more, during which time the axe
is not seen in the hand of the forester, nor doth the bow twang in the
woods of Tarapajan; neither may he which seeth these rites depart till
they be fulfilled."

Misnar was thunderstruck at this relation. And ere he could answer,
the crowd gathered round him.

"Come," said he that appeared to be the chief, "let us initiate this
stranger into our rites: bring hither the skin of the tiger, and the
paw of the lion, and the lance, and the bow that twangs not in the
woods of Tarapajan during these nightly festivals."

Then one brought the skin of a tiger, and threw it over the shoulders
of Misnar; another came with the paw of a lion, and hung it before
him; a third brought a lance, and put it in Misnar's right hand; and a
fourth slung a bow on his breast. Then all the crowd made a loud
howling, and danced round the astonished Sultan.

"Now," said the chief, when the dance was finished, "sound the hollow
instruments of brass, which give notice to the moon and to the stars
that this stranger is about to swear not to reveal our rites. Lay
thine hand on thy head," said the chief to the disguised Sultan, "and
put thy fingers on thy mouth, and say, 'As the starless night is dark,
as the cave of death is dark, so shall my thoughts and words continue
in darkness concerning the festival of tigers.'"

"And wherefore," said Misnar, "is this silence imposed? And what shall
befall him that sweareth not unto you? Is not the mind of man free?
And who shall offend him who seeketh not to offend others?"

"Whosoever," answered the chief, "travelleth, should become obedient
to the customs of those people among whom he tarrieth."

"Right," continued Misnar; "and I am willing, on two conditions, to
fulfil your will: first, you shall all swear that I be at liberty to
pursue my journe