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＇3＇　During　these　early　days；　it　must　be　allowed；　the　boy　was　something
too　much　of　a　talker；　in　part；　may　be；　because　of　his　bringing…up。　He
had　been　trained　by　his　master；　whenever　he　sat　in　judgment；　to　give　a
reason　for　what　he　did；　and　to　look　for　the　like　reason　from　others。
And　moreover；　his　curiosity　and　thirst　for　knowledge　were　such　that　he
must　needs　inquire　from　every　one　he　met　the　explanation　of　this；
that；　and　the　other；　and　his　own　wits　were　so　lively　that　he　was　ever
ready　with　an　answer　himself　for　any　question　put　to　him；　so　that
talkativeness　had　become；　as　it　were；　his　second　nature。　But；　just　as
in　the　body　when　a　boy　is　overgrown；　some　touch　of　youthfulness　is
sure　to　show　itself　and　tell　the　secret　of　his　age；　so　for　all　the
lad's　loquacity；　the　impression　left　on　the　listener　was　not　of
arrogance；　but　of　simplicity　and　warm…heartedness；　and　one　would
gladly　have　heard　his　chatter　to　the　end　rather　than　have　sat　beside
him　and　found　him　dumb。

＇4＇　However；　as　he　grew　in　stature　and　the　years　led　him　to　the　time
when　childhood　passes　into　youth　he　became　more　chary　of　his　words　and
quieter　in　his　tone：　at　times；　indeed；　he　was　so　shy　that　he　would
blush　in　the　presence　of　his　elders；　and　there　was　little　sign　left　of
the　old　forwardness；　the　impulsiveness　of　the　puppy　who　will　jump　up
on　every　one；　master　and　stranger　alike。　Thus　he　grew　more　sedate；　but
his　company　was　still　most　fascinating；　and　little　wonder：　for
whenever　it　came　to　a　trial　of　skill　between　himself　and　his　comrades
he　would　never　challenge　his　mates　to　those　feats　in　which　he　himself
excelled：　he　would　start　precisely　one　where　he　felt　his　own
inferiority；　averring　that　he　would　outdo　them　all；indeed；　he　would
spring　to　horse　in　order　to　shoot　or　hurl　the　javelin　before　he　had
got　a　firm　seatand　then；　when　he　was　worsted；　he　would　be　the　first
to　laugh　at　his　own　discomfiture。　＇5＇　He　had　no　desire　to　escape
defeat　by　giving　up　the　effort；　but　took　glory　in　the　resolution　to　do
better　another　time；　and　thus　he　soon　found　himself　as　good　a　horseman
as　his　peers；　and　presently；　such　was　his　ardour；　he　surpassed　them
all；　and　at　last　the　thinning　of　the　game　in　the　king's　preserves
began　to　show　what　he　could　do。　What　with　the　chasing　and　the　shooting
and　the　spearing；　the　stock　of　animals　ran　so　low　that　Astyages　was
hard　put　to　it　to　collect　enough　for　him。　Then　Cyrus；　seeing　that　his
grandfather　for　all　his　goodwill　could　never　furnish　him　with　enough；
came　to　him　one　day　and　said；　〃Grandfather；　why　should　you　take　so
much　trouble　in　finding　game　for　me？　If　only　you　would　let　me　go　out
to　hunt　with　my　uncle；　I　could　fancy　every　beast　we　came　across　had
been　reared　for　my　particular　delight！〃　＇6＇　But　however　anxious　the
lad　might　be　to　go　out　to　the　chase；　he　had　somehow　lost　the　old
childish　art　of　winning　what　he　wanted　by　coaxing：　and　he　hesitated　a
long　time　before　approaching　the　king　again。　If　in　the　old　days　he　had
quarrelled　with　Sacas　for　not　letting　him　in；　now　he　began　to　play　the
part　of　Sacas　against　himself；　and　could　not　summon　courage　to　intrude
until　he　thought　the　right　moment　had　come：　indeed；　he　implored　the
real　Sacas　to　let　him　know　when　he　might　venture。　So　that　the　old
butler's　heart　was　won；　and　he；　like　the　rest　of　the　world；　was
completely　in　love　with　the　young　prince。

＇7＇　At　last　when　Astyages　saw　that　the　lad's　heart　was　really　set　on
hunting　in　the　open　country；　he　gave　him　leave　to　go　out　with　his
uncle；　taking　care　at　the　same　time　to　send　an　escort　of　mounted
veterans　at　his　heels；　whose　business　it　was　to　keep　watch　and　ward
over　him　in　any　dangerous　place　or　against　any　savage　beast。　Cyrus
plied　his　retinue　with　questions　about　the　creatures　they　came　across；
which　must　he　avoid　and　which　might　he　hunt？　They　told　him　he　must　be
on　his　guard　against　bears　and　wild…boars　and　lions　and　leopards：　many
a　man　had　found　himself　at　too　close　quarters　with　these　dangerous
creatures；　and　been　torn　to　pieces：　but　antelopes；　they　said；　and　deer
and　mountain　sheep　and　wild　asses　were　harmless　enough。　And　the
huntsman；　they　added；　ought　to　be　as　careful　about　dangerous　places　as
about　the　beasts　themselves：　many　a　time　horse　and　rider　had　gone
headlong　down　a　precipice　to　death。　＇8＇　The　lad　seemed　to　take　all
their　lessons　to　heart　at　the　time：　but　then　he　saw　a　stag　leap　up；
and　forgot　all　the　wise　cautions　he　had　heard；　giving　chase　forthwith；
noticing　nothing　except　the　beast　ahead　of　him。　His　horse；　in　its
furious　plunge　forward；　slipped；　and　came　down　on　its　knees；　all　but
throwing　the　rider　over　its　head。　As　luck　would　have　it　the　boy
managed　to　keep　his　seat；　and　the　horse　recovered　its　footing。　When
they　reached　the　flat　bottom；　Cyrus　let　fly　his　javelin；　and　the　stag
fell　dead；　a　beautiful　big　creature。　The　lad　was　still　radiant　with
delight　when　up　rode　the　guard　and　took　him　severely　to　task。　Could　he
not　see　the　danger　he　had　run？　They　would　certainly　tell　his
grandfather；　that　they　would。　Cyrus；　who　had　dismounted；　stood　quite
still　and　listened　ruefully；　hanging　his　head　while　they　rated　him。
But　in　the　middle　of　it　all　he　heard　the　view…halloo　again：　he　sprang
to　his　horse　as　though　frenzieda　wild…boar　was　charging　down　on
them；　and　he　charged　to　meet　it；　and　drawing　his　bow　with　the　surest
aim　possible；　struck　the　beast　in　the　forehead；　and　laid　him　low。　＇9＇
But　now　his　uncle　thought　it　was　high　time　to　scold　his　nephew
himself；　the　lad's　boldness　was　too　much。　Only；　the　more　he　scolded
the　more　Cyrus　begged　he　would　let　him　take　back　the　spoil　as　a
present　for　his　grandfather。　To　which　appeal；　says　the　story；　his
uncle　made　reply：　〃But　if　your　grandfather　finds　out　that　you　have
gone　in　chase　yourself；　he　will　not　only　scold　you　for　going　but　me
for　letting　you　go。〃　〃Well；　let　him　whip　me　if　he　likes；〃　said　the
boy；　〃when　once　I　have　given　him　my　beasts：　and　you　too；　uncle；〃　he
went　on；　〃punish　me　however　you　choose；　only　do　not　refuse　me　this。〃
So　Cyaxares　was　forced　to　yield：〃Have　it　your　own　way　then；　you　are
little　less　than　our　king　already。〃　＇10＇　Thus　it　was　that　Cyrus　was
allowed　to　bring　his　trophies　home；　and　in　due　course　presented　them
to　his　grandfather。　〃See；　grandfather；　here　are　some　animals　I　have
shot　for　you。〃　But　he　did　not　show　his　weapons　in　triumph：　he　only
laid　them　down　with　the　gore　still　on　them　where　he　hoped　his
grandfather　would　see　them。　It　is　easy　to　guess　the　answer　Astyages
gave：〃I　must　needs　accept　with　pleasure　every　gift　you　bring　me；
only　I　want　none　of　them　at　the　risk　of　your　own　life。〃　And　Cyrus
said；　〃If　you　really　do　not　want　them　yourself；　grandfather；　will　you
give　them　to　me？　And　I　will　divide　them　among　the　lads。〃　〃With　all　my
heart；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃take　them；　or　anything　else　you　like；
bestow　them　where　you　will；　and　welcome。〃　＇11＇　So　Cyrus　carried　off
the　spoil；　and　divided　it　with　his　comrades；　saying　all　the　while；
〃What　foolery　it　was；　when　we　used　to　hunt　in　the　park！　It　was　no
better　than　hunting　creatures　tied　by　a　string。　First　of　all；　it　was
such　a　little　bit　of　a　place；　and　then　what　scarecrows　the　poor　beasts
were；　one　halt；　and　another　maimed！　But　those　real　animals　on　the
mountains　and　the　plainswhat　splendid　beasts；　so　gigantic；　so　sleek
and　glossy！　Why；　the　stags　leapt　up　against　the　sky　as　though　they　had
wings；　and　the　wild…boars　came　rushing　to　close　quarters　like　warriors
in　battle！　And　thanks　to　their　breadth　and　bulk　one　could　not　help
hitting　them。　Why；　even　as　they　lie　dead　there；〃　cried　he；　〃they　look
finer　than　those　poor　walled…up　creatures　when　alive！　But　you；〃　he
added；　〃could　not　your　fathers　let　you　go　out　to　hunt　too？〃　〃Gladly
enough；〃　answered　they；　〃if　only　the　king　gave　the　order。〃　＇12＇
〃Well；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃who　will　speak　to　Astyages　for　us？〃　〃Why；〃
answered　they；　〃who　so　fit　to　persuade　him　as　yourself？〃　〃No；　by　all
that's　holy；　not　I！〃　cried　Cyrus。　〃I　cannot　think　what　has　come　over
me：　I　cannot　speak　to　my　grandfather　any　more；　I　cannot　look　him
straight　in　the　face。　If　this　fit　grows　on　me；　I　am　afraid　I　shall
become　no　better　than　an　idiot。　And　yet；　when　I　was　a　little　boy；　they
tell　me；　I　was　sharp　enough　at　talking。〃　To　which　the　other　lads
retorted；　〃Well；　it　is　a　bad　business　altogether：　and　if　you　cannot
bestir　yourself　for　your　friends；　if　you　can　do　nothing　for　us　in　our
need；　we　must　turn　elsewhere。〃　＇13＇　When　Cyrus　heard　that　he　was　stung
to　the　quick：　he　went　away　in　silence　and　urged　himself　to　put　on　a
bold　face；　and　so　went　in　to　his　grandfather；　not；　however；　without
planning　first　how　he　could　best　bring　in　the　matter。　Accordingly　he
began　thus：　〃Tell　me；　grandfather；〃　said　he；　〃if　one　of　your　slaves
were　to　run　away；　and　you　caught　him；　what　would　you　do　to　him？〃　〃What
else　should　I　do；〃　the　old　man　answered；　〃but　clap　irons　on　him　and
set　him　to　work　in　chains？〃　〃But　if　he　came　back　of　his　own　accord；
how　would　you　treat　him　then？〃　〃Why；　I　would　give　him　a　whipping；　as　a
warning　not　to　do　it　again；　and　then　treat　him　as　though　nothing　had
happened。〃　〃It　is　high　time　then；〃　said　the　boy；　〃that　you　began
getting　a　birch　ready　for　your　grandson：　for　I　am　planning　to　take