THE BOAR AND THE CHAMELEON
A BOAR, hunting for food, met a Chameleon at the foot of a tree. "Hello!" said the Boar, "you act as though you were half dead, dragging yourself along in that lazy way!"
"Don't be so proud of your strength, brother Boar," retorted the Chameleon, "I am a match for you any day!"
"Hold your tongue, you wretched little beast!" rejoined the Boar angrily. "If you think so well of yourself, will you run a race with me."
"Of course I will," agreed the Chameleon readily. "Do you see that little hill over there? Let that be the goal."
"All right," said the Boar, and at once started to run. But the tricky little Chameleon caught hold of the Boar's tail. When the hill was reached, the Boar said, "Well, Chameleon, where are you now?"
"Here I am," said the Chameleon, who had been quick to let go of the Boar's tail and drop to earth.
"Well, you run faster than I thought you could," said the Boar.
"Let's try again. This time I won't let myself be beaten!" So they ran again and the Chameleon repeated his trick and for the second time reached the goal at the same time as his enemy.
"Haha! haha! Where are you this time, little brother?" called the Boar gleefully.
"Here I am, big brother!" shouted back the tricky little Chameleon. And so the Boar, puzzled and ashamed, had to admit that the Chameleon had won the race.
(Madagascar Fable. From Collection de Contes et de Chansons Populaires, Vol. 38.)
