Once settled, they waited for the show to begin. The wait was a long one. Everyone was growing impatient, but nothing was happening. Suddenly massive iron grilles crashed down in the doorways at each end of the pit. This was confusing. Something should be coming out, not being kept in. An incensed roaring and bellowing filtered through from unseen passageways.
“Listen to that, will you?” said the man next to Yauva. “What size of thing’d make a noise like that?”
Yauva gripped the wooden rail in excitement. “It’s a big one, right enough!” he said. “Hope the pit’s deep enough.”
“Don’t you fear,” said the man. “I’ve seen giants of bears in here and none of them could reach nobody. Not for want of tryin’ though. They’d pull you down and eat you, soon as look at you, some of them things.”
“W
