The Cheetah's Leap .

- At first, the man was shocked. "A cheetah?! On a banyan tree?! I must run!"  

Vijaysingh Zala

T here's a forest. Hilly slopes rise and fall. A horseback rider rides through it - so fast it seems like the horse isn't running, but flying. The horse was drenched in sweat.

Just then, a hill came up. The horse was racing up, but halfway up, its hooves slipped.

The rider understood - the horse was tired. They crossed the hill and came down. The rider pulled the reins gently to stop the horse. He decided to rest for a bit. He got off the horse. He patted the horse kindly and wiped off its sweat. Then he noticed something - a patch of fresh, green grass a short distance away. "Let the horse graze a bit," he thought. So he led the horse there and let it eat.

Nearby was a tree. The rider leaned against its trunk and sat down to relax. 

The sun was about to set. If he stayed too long, his mission would be ruined. He thought, "I should get going." He got up to fetch his horse and took a few steps forward. A little laziness hit him - he stretched his arms and yawned. He even smacked his lips a few times.

It was a banyan tree - very old. Its trunk had several hollows. Some of its roots had crept into the ground.

One long, thick branch hung lower than the others. Just beneath that branch, the man had stretched and yawned. As he lifted one foot to walk, he heard a rustle above. Maybe a bird?

Just then - plop! - a dry leaf fell on him. He looked up. And froze. A chill ran through his whole body. On that branch, right above him, sat a cheetah.

This was the Palamu district of Bihar. A stretch of the Vindhya mountain range passed through it. In between were dense forests - and the Sarguja kingdom nestled within them.

This man was a Jamadar returning from an important task - he had met with the local governor.

The sun was setting. He still had 4 to 6 miles to cover. The horse had been running at top speed and was now exhausted. The rider, too, was weary from sitting so long. So he had stopped beneath the banyan to rest.

The sun was now nearly gone.

Four to six miles - about half an hour's ride. As he stood up to get the horse, he looked up. Right above him on the branch was a cheetah. The cheetah bared its fangs. Its sharp teeth and red gums looked terrifying. A sly glint shone in its eyes - it seemed to say, "You, human, don't try to escape. You're my prey. I was just about to pounce. Look down again, and I'll leap on you."

This cheetah was a smart hunter. It lived nearby. It would climb the banyan tree and hide. When someone passed below - it would leap down and finish them.

If small cattle passed, they too would be attacked this way. 

Predators like lions, tigers, and cheetahs usually hunt at night. They roam all night and sleep all day. But this cheetah had figured out a clever trick - it hunted even during the day by sitting in trees. Sometimes in the morning, sometimes afternoon, or evening - it would climb the banyan and wait. If a human or animal came near - it would leap.

For the past four years, it had hunted this way. Several travelers and animals had died. Local people avoided this route entirely.

The man was standing right below the branch. The cheetah was right above. It wanted to leap, but since the man was directly below, it wasn't the perfect angle. The cheetah waited for him to step a little forward - then it would leap on his head.

But the man looked up. The cheetah was furious. A hunter hates when his cover is blown. Just like a pickpocket hates getting caught mid-act, the cheetah too was enraged. "Let him move slightly forward," the cheetah thought, "then I'll jump and attack."

At first, the man was shocked. "A cheetah?! On a banyan tree?!"

But surprise quickly turned to fear. "I must run!" he thought. "Jump onto the horse and flee!"

He ran. But after just two steps, the cheetah leapt.

It landed right on him - claws on his shoulders. Like a backpack, it clung to his back. The man's neck was right in the cheetah's mouth. It bit down hard - tearing the neck muscles apart. The man tried to escape. But the cheetah didn't let go. Under the weight, the man stumbled and fell. The cheetah roared and shredded his throat. Lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, cats - all predators go for the throat. Once the prey's throat is in their jaws, it's over.

The man collapsed. The cheetah tore his throat. The horse, grazing nearby, saw it all. Startled, it galloped back to the road and ran full speed toward the village.

At the edge of the village was a police outpost. There was a stable with 25 horses. The horse ran straight there and neighed loudly.

The sun had already set. Twilight spread. People at the outpost noticed - "The horse returned alone!"

What happened to the rider? They had to investigate.

The officer-in-charge, the Jamadar, and ten Soldiers mounted their horses and followed the path.

It was dark. Why had the horse returned alone? Where was the rider? No one could understand.

They reached the banyan tree. The officer recalled the cheetah tale. He quickly switched on his torch. Light fell under the tree. Something shimmered.

He said, "Stop the horses."

They halted. The officer dismounted and stepped under the tree. Blood was everywhere. The light showed blood splattered around. The trail led further into the bushes. Following it, they found a body. 

It was the rider. The cheetah had dragged him there. It had sucked the blood from his neck. It had just started tearing the stomach when the flashlight hit.

The cheetah instantly understood - humans were here. It fled. Smart predators don't cling to greed. Only fools grip like a leech. Wise ones take what they can and escape. A smart man always puts safety first. So do smart animals. After killing, predators usually wait a few hours. Let the blood thicken, then eat.

This cheetah had waited an hour. It had sucked the blood, and just started gutting the body when the light struck. It ran. The officer and Soldiers arrived. They recognized their fellow Soldier's body immediately.

Sorrow spread. Tears welled in the officer's eyes. This Soldier was beloved by all - wise, gentle, kind.

Now what? The officer said, "Take the body back to the village." 

"And you?" someone asked.

The officer said, "I'll return only after killing that cheetah."

"Wait till morning," they pleaded. He refused. "Do as I say. I'll stay."

They tried hard to convince him. He wouldn't budge. Finally, they took the body back.

The officer kept both a rifle and a pistol. After everyone left, he hid nearby.

He placed a white cloth where the body had been - to fool the cheetah into thinking the body was still there.

If the cheetah returned, he would shoot. It was a smart trap. But the cheetah was smarter. It didn't show up all night.

By morning, Soldiers returned to check. The officer stood under the banyan. He sent one Soldier back for some grain.

He slung a sack over his shoulder and set out.

He roamed the jungle all day.

The cheetah never came out during the day.

That night too, nothing.

The officer realized - the cheetah was alert. He returned to the outpost. A week passed. He took three Soldiers and a goat. They tied the goat under the banyan. Tied a long rope to one leg. They all hid nearby.

Day passed. Night too. Then another day. Still no cheetah.

The officer was amazed. "How clever this cheetah is!"

Some humans - like Thomas Edison - discover great things. His inventions seem like magic. That's genius.

Some animals, too, are born with such intelligence.

This cheetah was one of them. Three months passed. The story began to fade. The officer tried again. Tied a goat.

Three more days, three more nights. No cheetah.

"Maybe it's fled?" people began to say.

Then came news - a shepherd saw the cheetah leap from the banyan and kill a goat.

The cheetah was back.

The officer tied another goat for three days.

Still no cheetah. He began to think. This time he waited 15 days. Then took a whole herd of goats, with Soldiers and his rifle. They reached the banyan at dusk.

No one saw when the cheetah arrived.

When it climbed. When it leapt. Suddenly - it pounced on a goat. The goat screamed. Others scattered. 

The officer understood - the cheetah was here.

Bang! One shot.

The cheetah was hit.

It was about to drag the goat when the bullet struck.

It dropped the goat and ran.

More bullets flew - but missed.

The cheetah stumbled. Then fell.

Dead.

The officer said, "The clever cheetah is dead."

When a lone goat was tied, the cheetah knew - it was bait.

"In this forest, where would a goat appear alone?"

A wise cheetah can see through human tricks.

Fools get trapped. But clever ones escape.

The cheetah's body was taken to the outpost.

It was preserved with spices.