how to tell stories to children-第14章

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At　the　splash　the　Frogs　were　terribly　　frightened；　and　dove　into　their　holes　to　hide　from　King　Log。　　But　after　a　while；　when　they　saw　that　the　king　never　moved；　they　got　over　their　fright　and　went　and　sat　on　him。　　And　as　soon　as　they　found　he　really　could　not　hurt　them　they　began　to　despise　him；　and　finally　they　sent　another　messenger　to　Jove　to　ask　for　a　new　king。

Jove　sent　an　eel。

The　Frogs　were　much　pleased　and　a　good　deal　frightened　when　King　Eel　came　wriggling　and　swimming　among　them。　　But　as　the　days　went　on；　and　the　eel　was　perfectly　harmless；　they　stopped　being　afraid；　and　as　soon　as　they　stopped　fearing　King　Eel　they　stopped　respecting　him。

Soon　they　sent　a　third　messenger　to　Jove；　and　begged　that　they　might　have　a　better　king；a　king　who　was　worth　while。

It　was　too　much；　Jove　was　angry　at　their　stupidity　at　last。　　〃I　will　give　you　a　king　such　as　you　deserve！〃　he　said；　and　he　sent　them　a　Stork。

As　soon　as　the　Frogs　came　to　the　surface　to　greet　the　new　king；　King　Stork　caught　them　in　his　long　bill　and　gobbled　them　up。　One　after　another　they　came　bobbing　up；　and　one　after　another　the　stork　ate　them。　He　was　indeed　a　king　worthy　of　them！


THE　SUN　AND　THE　WIND


The　Sun　and　the　Wind　once　had　a　quarrel　as　to　which　was　the　stronger。　　Each　believed　himself　to　be　the　more　powerful。　While　they　were　arguing　they　saw　a　traveler　walking　along　the　country　highway；　wearing　a　great　cloak。

〃Here　is　a　chance　to　test　our　strength；〃　said　the　Wind；　〃let　us　see　which　of　us　is　strong　enough　to　make　that　traveler　take　off　his　cloak；　the　one　who　can　do　that　shall　be　acknowledged　the　more　powerful。〃

〃Agreed；〃　said　the　Sun。

Instantly　the　Wind　began　to　blow；　he　puffed　and　tugged　at　the　man's　cloak；　and　raised　a　storm　of　hail　and　rain；　to　beat　at　it。　　But　the　colder　it　grew　and　the　more　it　stormed；　the　tighter　the　traveler　held　his　cloak　around　him。　　The　Wind　could　not　get　it　off。

Now　it　was　the　Sun's　turn。　　He　shone　　with　all　his　beams　on　the　man's　shoulders。　As　it　grew　hotter　and　hotter；　the　man　unfastened　his　cloak；　then　he　threw　it　back；　at　last　he　took　it　off！　　The　Sun　had　won。



THE　LITTLE　JACKAL　AND　THE　ALLIGATOR


The　little　Jackal　was　very　fond　of　shell…　fish。　　He　used　to　go　down　by　the　river　and　hunt　along　the　edges　for　crabs　and　such　things。　　And　once；　when　he　was　hunting　for　crabs；　he　was　so　hungry　that　he　put　his　paw　into　the　water　after　a　crab　without　looking　first；which　you　never　should　do！　　The　minute　he　put　in　his　paw；　SNAP！　the　big　Alligator　who　lives　in　the　mud　down　there　had　it　in　his　jaws。

〃Oh；　dear！〃　thought　the　little　Jackal；　〃the　big　Alligator　has　my　paw　in　his　mouth！　　In　another　minute　he　will　pull　me　down　and　gobble　me　up！　　What　shall　I　do？　what　shall　I　do？〃　　Then　he　thought；　suddenly；　〃I'll　deceive　him！〃

So　he　put　on　a　very　cheerful　voice；　as　if　nothing　at　all　were　the　matter；　and　he　said；

〃Ho！　ho！　Clever　Mr。　Alligator！　　Smart　Mr。　Alligator；　to　take　that　old　bulrush　root　for　my　paw！　　I'll　hope　you'll　find　it　very　tender！〃

The　old　Alligator　was　hidden　away　beneath　the　mud　and　bulrush　leaves；　and　he　couldn't　see　anything。　　He　thought；　〃Pshaw！　　I've　made　a　mistake。〃　　So　he　opened　his　mouth　and　let　the　little　Jackal　go。

The　little　Jackal　ran　away　as　fast　as　he　could；　and　as　he　ran　he　called　out；

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Alligator！　　Kind　Mr。　Alligator！　　SO　kind　of　you　to　let　me　go！〃

The　old　Alligator　lashed　with　his　tail　and　snapped　with　his　jaws；　but　it　was　too　late；　the　little　Jackal　was　out　of　reach。

After　this　the　little　Jackal　kept　away　from　the　river；　out　of　danger。　　But　after　about　a　week　he　got　such　an　appetite　for　crabs　that　nothing　else　would　do　at　all；　he　felt　that　he　must　have　a　crab。　　So　he　went　down　by　the　river　and　looked　all　around；　very　carefully。　　He　didn't　see　the　old　Alligator；　but　he　thought　to　himself；　〃I　think　I'll　not　take　any　chances。〃　　So　　he　stood　still　and　began　to　talk　out　loud　to　himself。　　He　said；

〃When　I　don't　see　any　little　crabs　on　the　land　I　most　generally　see　them　sticking　out　of　the　water；　and　then　I　put　my　paw　in　and　catch　them。　　I　wonder　if　there　are　any　fat　little　crabs　in　the　water　today？〃

The　old　Alligator　was　hidden　down　in　the　mud　at　the　bottom　of　the　river；　and　when　he　heard　what　the　little　Jackal　said；　he　thought；　〃Aha！　　I'll　pretend　to　be　a　little　crab；　and　when　he　puts　his　paw　in；　I'll　make　my　dinner　of　him。〃　　So　he　stuck　the　black　end　of　his　snout　above　the　water　and　waited。

The　little　Jackal　took　one　look；　and　then　he　said；

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Alligator！　　Kind　Mr。　Alligator！　　You　are　EXCEEDINGLY　kind　to　show　me　where　you　are！　　I　will　have　dinner　elsewhere。〃　　And　he　ran　away　like　the　wind。

The　old　Alligator　foamed　at　the　mouth；　he　was　so　angry；　but　the　little　Jackal　was　gone。

For　two　whole　weeks　the　little　Jackal　　kept　away　from　the　river。　　Then；　one　day　he　got　a　feeling　inside　him　that　nothing　but　crabs　could　satisfy；　he　felt　that　he　must　have　at　least　one　crab。　　Very　cautiously；　he　went　down　to　the　river　and　looked　all　around。　　He　saw　no　sign　of　the　old　Alligator。　　Still；　he　did　not　mean　to　take　any　chances。　　So　he　stood　quite　still　and　began　to　talk　to　himself；it　was　a　little　way　he　had。　　He　said；

〃When　I　don't　see　any　little　crabs　on　the　shore；　or　sticking　up　out　of　the　water；　I　usually　see　them　blowing　bubbles　from　under　the　water；　the　little　bubbles　go　PUFF；　PUFF；　PUFF；　and　then　they　go　POP；　POP；　POP；　and　they　show　me　where　the　little　juicy　crabs　are；　so　I　can　put　my　paw　in　and　catch　them。　　I　wonder　if　I　shall　see　any　little　bubbles　to…day？〃

The　old　Alligator；　lying　low　in　the　mud　and　weeds；　heard　this；　and　he　thought；　〃Pooh！　　THAT'S　easy　enough；　I'll　just　blow　some　little　crab…bubbles；　and　then　he　will　put　his　paw　in　where　I　can　get　it。〃

So　he　blew；　and　he　blew；　a　mighty　blast；　and　the　bubbles　rose　in　a　perfect　whirlpool；　fizzing　and　swirling。

The　little　Jackal　didn't　have　to　be　told　who　was　underneath　those　bubbles：　he　took　one　quick　look；　and　off　he　ran。　　But　as　he　went；　he　sang；

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Alligator！　　Kind　Mr。　Alligator！　　You　are　the　kindest　Alligator　in　the　world；　to　show　me　where　you　are；　so　nicely！　　I'll　breakfast　at　another　part　of　the　river。〃

The　old　Alligator　was　so　furious　that　he　crawled　up　on　the　bank　and　went　after　the　little　Jackal；　but；　dear；　dear；　he　couldn't　catch　the　little　Jackal；　he　ran　far　too　fast。

After　this；　the　little　Jackal　did　not　like　to　risk　going　near　the　water；　so　he　ate　no　more　crabs。　　But　he　found　a　garden　of　wild　figs；　which　were　so　good　that　he　went　there　every　day；　and　ate　them　instead　of　shell…fish。

Now　the　old　Alligator　found　this　out；　and　he　made　up　his　mind　to　have　the　little　Jackal　for　supper；　or　to　die　trying。　　So　he　crept；　and　crawled；　and　dragged　himself　over　the　ground　to　the　garden　of　wild　figs。　There　he　made　a　huge　pile　of　figs　under　the　biggest　of　the　wild　fig　trees；　and　hid　himself　in　the　pile。

After　a　while　the　little　Jackal　came　dancing　into　the　garden；　very　happy　and　care…free；BUT　looking　all　around。　　He　saw　the　huge　pile　of　figs　under　the　big　fig　tree。

〃H…m；〃　he　thought；　〃that　looks　singularly　like　my　friend；　the　Alligator。　　I'll　investigate　a　bit。〃

He　stood　quite　still　and　began　to　talk　to　himself；it　was　a　little　way　he　had。　　He　said；

〃The　little　figs　I　like　best　are　the　fat；　ripe；　juicy　ones　that　drop　off　when　the　breeze　blows；　and　then　the　wind　blows　them　about　on　the　ground；　this　way　and　that；　the　great　heap　of　figs　over　there　is　so　still　that　I　think　they　must　be　all　bad　figs。〃

The　old　Alligator；　underneath　his　fig　pile；　thought；

〃Bother　the　suspicious　little　Jackal；　I　shall　have　to　make　these　figs　roll　about；　so　that　he　will　think　the　wind　moves　them。〃　　And　straightway　he　humped　himself　up　and　moved；　and　sent　the　little　figs　flying；and　his　back　showed　through。

The　little　Jackal　did　not　wait　for　a　　second　look。　　He　ran　out　of　the　garden　like　the　wind。　　But　as　he　ran　he　called　back；

〃Thank　you；　again；　Mr。　Alligator；　very　sweet　of　you　to　show　me　where　you　are；　I　can't　stay　to　thank　you　as　I　should　like：　good…by！〃

At　this　the　old　Alligator　was　beside　himself　with　rage。　　He　vowed　that　he　would　have　the　little　Jackal　for　supper　this　time；　come　what　might。　　So　he　crept　and　crawled　over　the　ground　till