Vikram's World

The Sun began to set low over the horizon. Its last remaining rays made the sand look reddish-brown. Under a leafless tree knelt a magnificent black panther. His lair was a cave that was below the tree. He roared, seeing dusk had arrived, for it was about time for his evening activities which he would still carry on at night. He set off to roam the area around the tree. A few miles away, in a village, some men were drawing water from a well. The village dogs were given fresh meat to eat. When the meat had been eaten, the dogs chewed on the bones. More men came to help the men drawing water from the well and even some women came as well while their children were at play. Suddenly, one of the village’s warriors seized a woman by her arm and dragged her away to his companions. The men who were dotted in paint spots from head to toe took her to the leafless tree and tied her up to it. Then they left her there and went away. Now amongst the warriors was a wise mystic dressed in robes.