Part 10 (1/2)

”Well,” said the Fish, angrier than ever, ”all you are asked to do, is to say whether or no I am to eat this Man. Can't you do that without all this bother?”

”No,” said the Jackal.

”Oh dear,” said the Fish, ”what a stupid you must be! All right then, come along, and we'll show you.” So she made the Man take her on his shoulder again, and carry her to the place where she had been lying on the sand.

”That's the place,” said she.

The Jackal was not satisfied yet, but he must needs see how she lay. So the Man put her down on the sand, and the Fish began flip-flap-flopping again.

”Now then,” said the Jackal to the Man, ”up on the horse with you, and be off! What does the Fish matter to you? Let her die, she deserves no better.”

The Man thought this a good idea, so he got up on his horse, and off, and was more resolved than ever to keep clear of women.

But the Fish was very angry at being tricked so neatly. ”You shall pay for this!” she gasped to the Jackal; ”I'll come and eat you in your den.”

”All right, you may try,” said the Jackal, ”but I fancy you will get eaten yourself.” And so saying, away he scampered.

The Fish flapped and flopped, until somehow or other she managed to flap herself into the river.

After this the Fish used to sit by the roots of a fig-tree which went down into the river, with her mouth gaping, in the hope that something might fall in. The Jackal used to come down to this place to drink, and one day, as he was drinking, the Fish caught him tight by the leg.

”Oh you silly Fish,” said the Jackal, ”why didn't you catch my leg? You have got hold of the wrong thing,” said he; ”there's my leg, if you want it,” pointing to the root of the fig-tree. The foolish Fish believed she had made a mistake, and let go the Jackal's leg, and took a good bite of the root. The Jackal laughed, and scampered away, crying, ”Oh what a fool you are! You don't know wood from meat!”

”Never mind,” said the Fish, ”next time it will be my turn, and then we shall see. I'll come and eat you in your den.”

Next day, when the Jackal had gone into the forest to find food, our friend the Fish jumped out of the water, and went roll, roll, rolling into the forest, until she came to the den of the Jackal; and inside the door of the Jackal's den she stood on her tail, waiting for him to come back. By-and-by back came the Jackal, sure enough; but Jackals are very cunning creatures, and he came up slinking quietly, and saw the Fish before the Fish saw him. So he called out in a loud voice, ”Den, Den!”

No answer. Again he called out, ”Den, Den!” This time the Fish thought that the Den was no doubt accustomed to reply when the Jackal called to it. Perhaps it was shy because she was present. Anyhow she thought she had better answer, so she called out in return, ”Well, well!”

”You there?” asked the Jackal.

”Yes, I'm here all right,” answered the Fish.

”Just stop a minute,” said the Jackal, ”and I'll be back directly.”

Away he ran, and the Fish crept inside the hole, and hid. The Jackal ran about gathering dry leaves, and with the leaves he made a little pile at the mouth of his hole. Then he went to a fire which some traveller had left smouldering, and seizing a brand, he brought it and set light to the leaves at the mouth of the cave. The fire soon burned up.

”Is that nice, dear Den?” asked the Jackal.

”Very nice, thank you,” said the Fish, who thought she must go on pretending.

”I'll soon make you warm,” said the Jackal, and he piled on more fuel.

It began to get very hot.

”That's enough now,” said the Fish.

”No, no, Den dear,” said the cunning Jackal, laughing to himself. More and more leaves he piled on the top of the fire. One side of the Fish got so hot that she turned the other. Then it got hotter and hotter, and soon the Fish expired. When the fire went out, the Jackal looked into the cave, and there was the Fish, done on both sides crisp and brown. He sat down on his haunches, and gobbled her up in a trice, and he never had a nicer dinner. That was the end of the foolish and ungrateful Fish.