Meant to comment on this hours ago.
Earnest thanks for reminding me of something near and dear to my heart, that horrifies me to this day.

Do you mind elaborating? That is, if it isn't too personal.

I just find the story itself really scary, haha. The idea that a hunter had cut the tail from a creature intelligent and twisted enough to demand it back and play a headgame with him before his unfortunate end always terrified me. The concept, and concepts like it in essence, are really good ways to scare me.

I guess it's like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and its sequels -- it was frightening enough to make me scared of the night when I was younger, but I look back on it in fondness.

:) Oh, right. For some reason I thought your original comment implied you had tussled with a REAL LIVE Tailypo or something.

THANK GOD I DID NOT

Ugh, all this tailypo talk has got me jumping at every animal rustle right now. Thanks a bunch, man.