MIKHAIL ZOSHCHENKO
Beasts
I wander around the Leningrad zoo.
There
is
a huge and superb tiger in a cage. Alongside
him
is
a small white dog-a fox terrier. It was she who suckled the
tiger. And now, as the tiger's mother, she
is
in the same cage.
The tiger looks at her lovingly.
An amazing sight.
Suddenly, I hear a horrifying cry behind me.
Everyone rushes to a cage in which are some brown bears.
We see a ghastly scene. Next to the brown bears
is
another
cage containing bear cubs. The two cages are separated by
a
wooden partition, as well as by iron bars.
A little cub has climbed up this partition, but
his
paw has
I
got stuck in a crack. And now a brown bear
is
viciously worrying
the little paw.
While trying to free himself, the squealing bear cub gets his
other paw wedged in the crack. Now a second bear seizes this
paw.
They both tear at the cub so much that one of the onlookers
faints.
We try to drive the bears away with sand and stones. But
they only get more vicious. There's a paw with black claws lying
on the floor of the cage. I grab hold of a long pole and hit the
bear with it.
Keepers and officials come running up at the sound of the
terrible squealing and roaring of the bears. They pull the cub
away from the partition.
The brown bears pace furiously up and down the cage. .'
Their eyes are bloodshot. Their muzzles .are covered with blood.
Growling, the male mounts the female.
The unfortunate bear cub is taken to the office. Its front
paws have been torn off.
It's not squealing anymore. It will probably be shot. I begin
to understand what beasts are. And the way they differ from
humans.
