The Classicist (continued)
The Sage stooped down to check the monster's pulse
with definitely- negative results.
"Our patient," he pronounced, "is out of pain.
I'd diagnose Concussion of the Brain,
if he possessed one. That was quite a fight
you got me in--though things turned out all right."
The centaur ventured closer, where he scanned
the sprawling hulk.
He shook the Sage's hand.
"I guess there's been a change of plans," he said,
"since, thanks to you, my Mortal Foe is dead.
It happened I was hunting apes today.
Instead, I have a favor to repay!
Whatever my objective was before,
it turned out I was hunting minotaur;
and this disgrace to Greek Mythology
was evidently bent on hunting me."
"By some coincidence," the ape replied,
"I went out hunting centaurs, till I spied
your internecine disagreement, here,
and got a sudden urge to Interfere.
I didn't think it over long, so I
took sides with you. I'm frankly not sure why.
As badly as we get along with men
of any breed (or any half-breed) , when
I saw a centaur losing out, I guess
I thought I liked the minotaur still less.
I guess I don't know what I thought. The fact
is, lacking time to think, I just react.
Perhaps subconsciously we tend to balk
at hunting people who can think and talk,
but minotaurs can only roar and moo,
which gave me grounds for taking sides with you.
Another reason is, you're mostly horse,
which means your morals can't be quite as course
as that of humans of another strain--
all humanoid except for head and brain."
The centaur raised his brows at this, but he
absorbed the racial insults silently,
not wishing to precipitate a war
with someone who could fell a minotaur.
"At least,” he said, “we're in agreement as
to who the right to keep the booty has.
You've earned this heap of beef in honest strife,
so take my share, in payment for my life.
I'll even help you take the carcass back
to where you've camped, since there's a lot to pack."
"Well, I don't know," the Sage replied. "I made
the kill, but I'd negotiate a trade,
since other possibilities remain...
