He smashed his chain, he broke open the panther's cage and took it along to get through to the Palace."
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
"Yes!" came the cries from all sides.
But Suok said nothing.
The parrot nodded and flapped its wings three times.
The trial was over.
This was the sentence:
"The false doll tricked Tutti the Heir.
She freed Prospero the Gunsmith, the worst rebel and enemy of the Three Fat Men.
The best panther in the zoo was killed because of her.
That is why the false doll shall be sentenced to death.
She is to be devoured by wild beasts."
But even when this terrible sentence was read, Suok did not move a muscle!
Everyone headed for the Palace zoo.
They were greeted by the howling, screeching and whistling of the animals and birds.
The animal keeper was very nervous because, after all, he was in charge there!
The Three Fat Men, the councillors, court officials and courtiers all took their places on the stands.
They were protected by iron netting.
Oh, how softly the sun shone!
And what a lovely blue the sky was!
How the parrots' colourful feathers glittered, how the monkeys climbed and tumbled, how cheerfully the old elephant, green with age, stamped his foot!
Poor Suok!
She did not even glance at all this beauty.
She was probably looking with terrified eyes at the dirty cage where the tigers were pacing back and forth nervously.
They were like angry hornets, at least they had the same colouring, the same yellow and brown stripes.
They glared at the people from under their shaggy brows.
Now and then one of them would open wide its bloody-red mouth which stank of raw meat.
Poor Suok!
Farewell, dear circus, dear town squares, dear August, pet fox and dear big, brave Tibul!
The blue-eyed Guard carried the girl to the middle of the zoo square and put her down on the hot pavement.
"But what about Tutti the Heir?" said one of the councillors.
"If he finds out his doll was torn to bits by tigers, he'll cry himself to death."
"Shh!" his neighbour hissed. "Shh!
Tutti the Heir has been given a big dose of sleeping medicine.
He will sleep like a log for three days and three nights, and maybe even more."
Now everyone looked at the pitiful little pink heap lying there amidst the cages.
Then a lion-tamer came into the circle, cracking his whip. A large pistol gleamed at his side.
The Palace band struck up a march.
This was Suok's last appearance before an audience.
"Allez!" the lion-tamer barked.
The iron door of the cage swung back.
The tigers ran out on their heavy, padded paws.
The Three Fat Men began to laugh.
The councillors giggled and shook their wigs.
The lion-tamer cracked his whip again.
Three tigers ran over to Suok.
She lay there quietly, her big grey eyes looking up into the sky.
Everyone rose up in his seat to get a better view.
They were all ready to shout with joy at the sight of the tigers tearing the little friend of the people to bits.