Part 20 (2/2)

MOORISH FABLES

The Wagtail and the Jackal

At a time when the animals spoke, a Wagtail laid her eggs on the ground. The little ones grew up. A Jackal and a Fox came to them.

The Jackal said to the Fox:

”Swear to me that the Wagtail owes me a pound of b.u.t.ter.”

The Fox swore to it. The Bird began to weep. A Greyhound came to her and asked her what was the matter. She answered him:

”The Fox has calumniated me.”

”Well,” said the Hound, ”put me in this sack of skin.”

She put him in the sack. ”Tie up the top well,” said the Hound. When the Jackal returned she said to him,

”Come and measure out the b.u.t.ter.”

The Jackal advanced and unfastened the sack. He saw the Hound, who stretched out his paws and said to the Fox,

”I am ill; come and measure, Fox.”

The Fox approached. The Hound seized him. The Jackal said:

”Remember your false testimony.”

The Wren

A Wren had built its nest on the side of a road. When the eggs were hatched, a Camel pa.s.sed that way. The little Wrens saw it and said to their father when he returned from the fields:

”O papa, a gigantic animal pa.s.sed by.”

The Wren stretched out his foot. ”As big as this, my children?”

”O papa, much bigger.”

He stretched out his foot and his wing. ”As big as this?”

”O papa, much bigger.”

Finally he stretched out fully his feet and legs.

”As big as this then?”

”Much bigger.”

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