Princess of Mars ch13 pt2            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.          end of pt2