The motif of hunting highlights the contrast between modern, ritualized practices and the practical, survival-based instincts that Stig represents. When Lou rides out with the North Kent Foxhounds, Barney attempts to explain the concept of fox hunting to Stig through exaggerated gestures, making “fierce stabbing motions with the spear, and galloping movements in his rubber boots, and even imitat[ing] a hunting horn: “Tara, tara, taraa” (59). His pantomime-like performance and Stig’s bemused reaction emphasize the artificial quality of the hunt Barney is describing. Fox hunting is a ceremonial tradition governed by rules, costumes, and rituals that are meaningless to Stig.

Stig’s approach to hunting stands in stark contrast to the hunt Lou participates in. Setting off with “a real hunting spear” (58), he demonstrates the practical skills of a true hunter. Moving silently through the woods with his bow and arrow, he stalks and shoots a pheasant before pouncing on it, displaying an instinctive efficiency that belongs to a much older way of life. His reaction to the foxhounds further emphasizes this primal perspective: When confronted by one of the dogs, he growls and bites it, behaving like a creature defending its territory. Yet Stig’s behavior also reveals an ethical logic rooted in survival. When Barney finally comes face-to-face with the fox and prepares to spear it, Stig stops him, recognizing that killing the animal would serve no purpose if they do not intend to eat it. Although Stig appears primitive, his reasoning is both practical and humane, in contrast to modern society, which kills animals for sport.

This motif of hunting reappears later at the children’s fancy-dress party, where a mock chase turns into a real, dangerous pursuit. At first, the children play at hunting by chasing Lou, who is dressed as a leopard, echoing the earlier fox hunt as a game involving costumes and rules. However, the situation abruptly changes when a genuine leopard escapes from the circus. While the rest of the children play at being “cowboys and Indians” (124), Stig acts with practical competence, demonstrating how his prehistoric knowledge can solve problems that modern society is unprepared to handle.

The leopard hunt also marks a culmination of Barney and Stig’s friendship. Barney plays a vital role in capturing the dangerous animal, showing that he has learned practical skills and courage from Stig through their shared experiences. At the same time, the incident reinforces the theme of The Divide Between Childhood Perception and Adult Skepticism, as the children’s capture of the escaped circus animal forces the adults to acknowledge seemingly impossible events.