Read a page from this book. Close your eyes for 2 minutes.
Read another. Close your eyes again. Repeat this, until the chapter you've been
reading is over. No wildlife based television show would ever be able to
provide you with a better and more enchanting view of the life of hills and
around of long ago, under the menace of dangerous man-eaters, like this one.
'Enchanting' be the one word, if I am to describe my
thoughts upon reading this book.
This book is a compilation of ten tales of Corbett's various escapades, mostly spine-chilling, with tigers and leopards, who had
gained notoriety due to being man-eaters. Having dealt with wildlife over a
long period of time and having observed them from close quarters, Corbett has been
able to outline the possible thought process or the reason for the beasts’
behaviours almost as deftly as he has been able to describe the human reactions
and responses to the former’s threats.
As a reader, my personal favourite certainly is the story
“Robin”, which in some sure sense resembles a typical work of Mahadevi Verma,
delicately and lovingly outlining the life of a favourite pet. The protagonist
of the story is Robin, Corbett’s faithful spaniel, who had accompanied and
helped the author in many of his hunting adventures. In his own words, the
canine was “the biggest hearted and the most faithful friend man ever had”.
From how the pet came into the care of the author, to how he started training,
to how his skill oftentimes became their savior, to how eventually, he bid
adieu to his loving master, it is a beautiful story that leaves the reader yearning
for more.
As Ruskin Bond aptly puts
in the introduction, “Corbett’s exploits brought him fame as a hunter. His book
turned him into a legend.”
If you consider yourself an adventure lover or are simply
looking for some thrilling stories, here’s the deal. Just read this book.
