He turns towards his last tormentor when a man on foot holds out a red flag; the bull rushes for this and is allowed to take it on his horns.

The flag drops and covers the eyes of the animal so that he is at a loss what to do; it is jerked from him and the torment is renewed.

When the animal is worked into an uncontrollable frenzy, the horsemen withdraw, and the matadores -- literally murderers--enter, armed with knives having blades twelve or eighteen inches long, and sharp.

The trick is to dodge an attack from the animal and stab him to the heart as he passes.

If these efforts fail the bull is finally lassoed, held fast and killed by driving a knife blade into the spinal column just back of the horns.