the hunter has eyed his prey for days; he knows when the great tigress will tread this path to drink from the river-flow
he sees her beauty; he has crafted a mask of her likeness
—for him, a perfect fit.
The image of preparation.
yet,
none of this will keep his stomach from betraying him.
in this moment of hesitation he looks to the sky
and sees both himself and the tigress
reflected upon the moon at dusk.
Lesson of Lying III.
Lesson of Lying IV:
the tigress always knows of the hunter; she has seen him stalk among the reeds, at dusk, to gaze upon her.
there are other streams, but she relents
to herself she says
“i will bathe my nerves in this stream once again—
under the blood moon. never before has it been so lovely.”