how to tell stories to children-第20章

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rried　them　far。　　Now　that　I　am　old　and　weak　and　cannot　work；　he　leaves　me　without　food　or　water；　to　die　by　the　wayside。　　Men　are　a　thankless　lot。　　Let　the　Tiger　eat　the　Brahmin。〃

The　Tiger　sprang；　but　the　Brahmin　spoke　very　quickly：

〃Oh；　but　this　is　only　the　second；　Brother　Tiger；　you　promised　to　ask　five。〃

The　Tiger　grumbled　a　good　deal；　but　at　last　he　went　on　again　with　the　Brahmin。　And　after　a　time　they　saw　an　Eagle；　high　overhead。　　The　Brahmin　called　up　to　him　imploringly；

〃Oh；　Brother　Eagle；　Brother　Eagle！　Tell　us　if　it　seems　to　you　fair　that　this　Tiger　should　eat　me　up；　when　I　have　just　saved　him　from　a　frightful　cage？〃

The　Eagle　soared　slowly　overhead　a　moment；　then　he　came　lower；　and　spoke　in　a　thin；　clear　voice。

〃I　live　high　in　the　air；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　do　no　man　any　harm。　　Yet　as　often　as　they　find　my　eyrie；　men　stone　my　young　and　rob　my　nest　and　shoot　at　me　with　arrows。　Men　are　a　cruel　breed。　　Let　the　Tiger　eat　the　Brahmin！〃

The　Tiger　sprang　upon　the　Brahmin；　to　eat　him　up；　and　this　time　the　Brahmin　had　very　hard　work　to　persuade　him　to　wait。　　At　last　he　did　persuade　him；　however；　and　they　walked　on　together。　　And　　in　a　little　while　they　saw　an　old　Alligator；　lying　half　buried　in　mud　and　slime；　at　the　river's　edge。

〃Brother　Alligator；　oh；　Brother　Alligator！〃　said　the　Brahmin；　〃does　it　seem　at　all　right　or　fair　to　you　that　this　Tiger　should　eat　me　up；　when　I　have　just　now　let　him　out　of　a　cage？〃

The　old　Alligator　turned　in　the　mud；　and　grunted；　and　snorted；　then　he　said；

〃I　lie　here　in　the　mud　all　day；　as　harmless　as　a　pigeon；　I　hunt　no　man；　yet　every　time　a　man　sees　me；　he　throws　stones　at　me；　and　pokes　me　with　sharp　sticks；　and　jeers　at　me。　　Men　are　a　worthless　lot。　　Let　the　Tiger　eat　the　Brahmin！〃

At　this　the　Tiger　was　bound　to　eat　the　Brahmin　at　once。　　The　poor　Brahmin　had　to　remind　him；　again　and　again；　that　they　had　asked　only　four。

〃Wait　till　we've　asked　one　more！　　Wait　until　we　see　a　fifth！〃　he　begged。

Finally；　the　Tiger　walked　on　with　him。

After　a　time；　they　met　the　little　Jackal；　coming　gayly　down　the　road　toward　them。

〃Oh；　Brother　Jackal；　dear　Brother　Jackal；〃　said　the　Brahmin；　〃give　us　your　　opinion！　　Do　you　think　it　right　or　fair　that　this　Tiger　should　eat　me；　when　I　set　him　free　from　a　terrible　cage？〃

〃Beg　pardon？〃　said　the　little　Jackal。

〃I　said；〃　said　the　Brahmin；　raising　his　voice；　〃do　you　think　it　is　fair　that　the　Tiger　should　eat　me；　when　I　set　him　free　from　his　cage？〃

〃Cage？〃　said　the　little　Jackal；　vacantly。

〃Yes；　yes；　his　cage；〃　said　the　Brahmin。　〃We　want　your　opinion。　　Do　you　think〃

〃Oh；〃　said　the　little　Jackal；　〃you　want　my　opinion？　　Then　may　I　beg　you　to　speak　a　little　more　loudly；　and　make　the　matter　quite　clear？　　I　am　a　little　slow　of　understanding。　　Now　what　was　it？〃

〃Do　you　think；〃　said　the　Brahmin；　〃it　is　right　for　this　Tiger　to　eat　me；　when　I　set　him　free　from　his　cage？〃

〃What　cage？〃　said　the　little　Jackal。

〃Why；　the　cage　he　was　in；〃　said　the　Brahmin。　　〃You　see〃

〃But　I　don't　altogether　understand；〃　said　the　little　Jackal；　〃You　‘set　him　free；'　you　say？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　yes！〃　said　the　Brahmin。

〃It　was　this　way：　　I　was　walking　along；　and　I　saw　the　Tiger〃

〃Oh；　dear；　dear！〃　interrupted　the　little　Jackal；　〃I　never　can　see　through　it；　if　you　go　on　like　that；　with　a　long　story。　　If　you　really　want　my　opinion　you　must　make　the　matter　clear。　　What　sort　of　cage　was　it？〃

〃Why；　a　big；　ordinary　cage；　an　iron　cage；〃　said　the　Brahmin。

〃That　gives　me　no　idea　at　all；〃　said　the　little　Jackal。　　〃See　here；　my　friends；　if　we　are　to　get　on　with　this　matter　you'd　best　show　me　the　spot。　　Then　I　can　understand　in　a　jiffy。　　Show　me　the　cage。〃

So　the　Brahmin；　the　Tiger；　and　the　little　Jackal　walked　back　together　to　the　spot　where　the　cage　was。

〃Now；　let　us　understand　the　situation；〃　said　the　little　Jackal。　　〃Brahmin；　where　were　you？〃

〃I　stood　here　by　the　roadside；〃　said　the　Brahmin。

〃Tiger；　where　were　you？〃　said　the　little　Jackal。

〃Why；　in　the　cage；　of　course；〃　roared　the　Tiger。

〃Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon；　Father　Tiger；〃　　said　the　little　Jackal；　〃I　really　am　SO　stupid；　I　cannot　QUITE　understand　what　happened。　If　you　will　have　a　little　patience；HOW　were　you　in　the　cage？　　What　position　were　you　in？〃

〃I　stood　here；〃　said　the　Tiger；　leaping　into　the　cage；　〃with　my　head　over　my　shoulder；　so。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you；　thank　you；〃　said　the　little　Jackal；　〃that　makes　it　MUCH　clearer；　but　I　still　don't　QUITE　understandforgive　my　slow　mindwhy　did　you　not　come　out；　by　yourself？〃

〃Can't　you　see　that　the　door　shut　me　in？〃　said　the　Tiger。

〃Oh；　I　do　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　the　little　Jackal。　　〃I　know　I　am　very　slow；　I　can　never　understand　things　well　unless　I　see　just　how　they　were　if　you　could　show　me　now　exactly　how　that　door　works　I　am　sure　I　could　understand。　　How　does　it　shut？〃

〃It　shuts　like　this；〃　said　the　Brahmin；　pushing　it　to。

〃Yes；　but　I　don't　see　any　lock；〃　said　the　little　Jackal；　〃does　it　lock　on　the　outside？〃

〃It　locks　like　this；〃　said　the　Brahmin。　And　he　shut　and　bolted　the　door！

〃Oh；　does　it；　indeed？〃　said　the　little　Jackal。　　〃Does　it；　INDEED！　　Well；　Brother　Brahmin；　now　that　it　is　locked；　I　should　advise　you　to　let　it　stay　locked！　　As　for　you；　my　friend；〃　he　said　to　the　Tiger；　〃I　think　you　will　wait　a　good　while　before　you'll　find　any　one　to　let　you　out　again！

Then　he　made　a　very　low　bow　to　the　Brahmin。

〃Good…by；　Brother；〃　he　said。　　〃Your　way　lies　that　way；　and　mine　lies　this；　good…by！〃



THE　LITTLE　JACKAL　AND　THE　CAMEL


All　these　stories　about　the　little　Jackal　that　I　have　told　you；　show　how　clever　the　little　Jackal　was。　　But　you　knowif　you　don't；　you　will　when　you　are　grown　up　that　no　matter　how　clever　you　are；　sooner　or　later　you　surely　meet　some　one　who　is　cleverer。　　It　is　always　so　in　life。　　And　it　was　so　with　the　little　Jackal。　　This　is　what　happened。

The　little　Jackal　was；　as　you　know；　exceedingly　fond　of　shell…fish；　especially　of　river　crabs。　　Now　there　came　a　time　when　he　had　eaten　all　the　crabs　to　be　found　on　his　own　side　of　the　river。　　He　knew　there　must　be　plenty　on　the　other　side；　if　he　could　only　get　to　them；　but　he　could　not　swim。

One　day　he　thought　of　a　plan。　　He　went　to　his　friend　the　Camel；　and　said；

〃Friend　Camel；　I　know　a　spot　where　the　sugar…cane　grows　thick；　I'll　show　you　the　way；　if　you　will　take　me　there。〃

〃Indeed　I　will；〃　said　the　Camel；　who　was　very　fond　of　sugar…cane。　　〃Where　is　it？〃

〃It　is　on　the　other　side　of　the　river；〃　said　the　little　Jackal；　〃but　we　can　manage　it　nicely；　if　you　will　take　me　on　your　back　and　swim　over。〃

The　Camel　was　perfectly　willing；　so　the　little　Jackal　jumped　on　his　back；　and　the　Camel　swam　across　the　river；　carrying　him。　When　they　were　safely　over；　the　little　Jackal　jumped　down　and　showed　the　Camel　the　sugar…cane　field；　then　he　ran　swiftly　along　the　river　bank；　to　hunt　for　crabs；　　the　Camel　began　to　eat　sugar…cane。　　He　ate　happily；　and　noticed　nothing　around　him。

Now；　you　know；　a　Camel　is　very　big；　and　a　Jackal　is　very　little。　　Consequently；　the　little　Jackal　had　eaten　his　fill　by　the　time　the　Camel　had　barely　taken　a　mouthful。　The　little　Jackal　had　no　mind　to　wait　for　his　slow　friend；　he　wanted　to　be　off　home　again；　about　his　business。　　So　he　ran　round　and　round　the　sugar…cane　field；　and　as　he　ran　he　sang　and　shouted；　and　made　a　great　hullabaloo。

Of　course；　the　villagers　heard　him　at　once。

〃There　is　a　Jackal　in　the　sugar…cane；〃　they　said；　〃he　will　dig　holes　and　destroy　the　roots；　we　must　go　down　and　drive　him　out。〃　　So　they　came　down；　with　sticks　and　stones。　　When　they　got　there；　there　was　no　Jackal　to　be　seen；　but　they　saw　the　great　Camel；　eating　away　at　the　juicy　sugar…　cane。　　They　ran　at　him　and　beat　him；　and　stoned　him；　and　drove　him　away　half　dead。

When　they　had　gone；　leaving　the　poor　Camel　half　killed；　the　little　Jackal　came　dancing　back　from　somewhere　or　other。

〃I　think　it's　time　to　go　home；　now；〃　he　said；　〃don't　you？〃

〃Well；　you　ARE　a　pretty　friend！〃　said　the　Camel。　　〃The　idea　of　your　making　such　a　noise；　with　your　shouting　and　singing！　You　brought　this　upon　me。　　What　in　the　world　made　you　do　it？　　Why　did　you　shout　and　sing？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know　WHY；〃　said　the　little　Jackal；〃I　always　sing　after　dinne