A Princess of Mars

Following the battle with the air ships, the community remained within

the city for several days, abandoning the homeward march until they

could feel reasonably assured that the ships would not return; for to

be caught on the open plains with a cavalcade of chariots and children

was far from the desire of even so warlike a people as the green

Martians.

During our period of inactivity, Tars Tarkas had instructed me in many

of the customs and arts of war familiar to the Tharks, including

lessons in riding and guiding the great beasts which bore the warriors.

These creatures, which are known as thoats, are as dangerous and

vicious as their masters, but when once subdued are sufficiently

tractable for the purposes of the green Martians.

Two of these animals had fallen to me from the warriors whose metal I

wore, and in a short time I could handle them quite as well as the

native warriors. The method was not at all complicated. If the thoats

did not respond with sufficient celerity to the telepathic instructions

of their riders they were dealt a terrific blow between the ears with

the butt of a pistol, and if they showed fight this treatment was

continued until the brutes either were subdued, or had unseated their

riders.

In the latter case it became a life and death struggle between the man

and the beast. If the former were quick enough with his pistol he

might live to ride again, though upon some other beast; if not, his

torn and mangled body was gathered up by his women and burned in

accordance with Tharkian custom.

My experience with Woola determined me to attempt the experiment of

kindness in my treatment of my thoats. First I taught them that they

could not unseat me, and even rapped them sharply between the ears to

impress upon them my authority and mastery. Then, by degrees, I won

their confidence in much the same manner as I had adopted countless

times with my many mundane mounts. I was ever a good hand with

animals, and by inclination, as well as because it brought more lasting

and satisfactory results, I was always kind and humane in my dealings

with the lower orders. I could take a human life, if necessary, with

far less compunction than that of a poor, unreasoning, irresponsible

brute.

In the course of a few days my thoats were the wonder of the entire

community. They would follow me like dogs, rubbing their great snouts

against my body in awkward evidence of affection, and respond to my

every command with an alacrity and docility which caused the Martian

warriors to ascribe to me the possession of some earthly power unknown

on Mars.

"How have you bewitched them?" asked Tars Tarkas one afternoon, when he

had seen me run my arm far between the great jaws of one of my thoats

which had wedged a piece of stone between two of his teeth while

feeding upon the moss-like vegetation within our court yard.