When the Himalayan peasant meets the he-bear in his pride

When the Himalayan peasant meets the he-bear in his pride,
He shouts to scare the monster, who will often turn aside.
But the she-bear thus accosted rends the peasant tooth and nail
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

he-bear: male bear
to accost: approach aggressively
to rend: tear to pieces
tooth and nail: very fiercely

From The Female of the Species by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)