I grew up adoring Roald Dahl, so starting with his poaching
ideas seemed the most logical place to begin. Though I had scared the unicorn
off the week before, I felt the heavy-handed approach could wait another week
or two while I attempted to poach her away.
It began with me testing my oats theory with a variation on The
Sticky Hat method. I dug a small pit that I lined with a nose bag - the
bottom filled with oats and the rim painted with glue. The pit was deep enough
so that the unicorn’s eyes would be inside the bag as she ate, like with the
chicken in the book.
When she entered the clearing, about three o’clock, it was
on the far side from my little trap. She began to graze. Slowly she worked her
way across the clearing, chomping away at the grass until she got a couple of
feet from the oats and her nostrils started to itch and flicker. Her tongue
started to reach out for the taste, new and sweet-smelling. She was drawn in
quickly as if on a line and she was soon chewing.
The moment she started to chew, I entered the clearing myself
with a rope to use as a leash and began to make my way to her. But, alas, my
luck was out. I stepped on a twig and her head popped up out of the hole - nose
bag and all, the rim sticking above her eyes as I had hoped.
The desired pheasant effect was not achieved, however. The
unicorn did not relax, she shook her head, trying desperately to dislodge the
bag and break free.
I stood stock still, feeling a little guilty for causing
such distress, and not wanting to get whacked. This way and that she shook her
head, her little ears flapping about wildly as the bag went nowhere, stuck
snugly around her nuzzle.
Until she suddenly stopped the panic as if realising
something and the bag slipped off her face, hitting the ground and spilling the
remaining oats. The unicorn then snorted loudly before retreating back to the
safety of the forest.
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