VIII
JACKAL, THE SCHOOLMASTER
THERE was once a clever Sheal (jackal) whose father had erected a Deal (wall). The son was no less clever than his father, and to show his cleverness he opened a school in the forest in which he lived. Grasshoppers, centipedes, woolly-bears, cockroaches, white beetles, frogs, crabs, and spiders were his pupils. An alligator, living in a marsh close by, was seized with the desire of putting his offspring, seven in number, into the school; so taking them one morning to the jackal, he informed him of his desire and left them with him as boarders, the master promising that it would take them only seven days to grow into giants of learning. The jackal's mouth watered at the prospect of devouring them, and he fed on one of them daily. Six days passed in this way, and the parent alligator, hoping that on the next day his young ones would return home great scholars, went to pay them a visit, instructing his spouse to prepare the most delicious dainties against their return. He reached the school and asked the master how his dear ones were, and what progress they had made. The jackal said, "Mr. Alligator, your lovely young ones are unusually intelligent. They have progressed very well, but I can't send them away to-morrow morning. There is yet something very valuable for them to learn, so please let them remain here till the morning of the day after." The stupid alligator could not say nay to this proposal, and returned home thanking the jackal. The seventh day dawned, and the cunning schoolmaster, making his meal of the last young alligator, decamped.
