The Jackal and the Crocodile.
A crocodile and a jackal were once upon a time very good friends. The jackal often came down to the river to drink, and when he met his friend they conversed together. One day the jackal noticed on the other side of the river some splendid melons, which he at once greatly coveted. Dissembling his desires he said to the crocodile, "I wish I could get to the other bank of the river for a little change of air. I feel sure it would do me good, but how could I get there?" "Easily enough," replied the crocodile. "I will take you." So the jackal mounted astride his friend, and the crocodile swam across with him and brought him back again in the evening. The same thing took place next day, and the day after, and every day until the melons were all finished. And the jackal never brought any melons to his friend, nor told him anything about them, pretending all the time he took these excursions for the sake of his health. But it occurred to him one day he must offer to do the crocodile some service as a kind of return for all the latter had done for him. "Are you married?" he asked. "No," replied the crocodile. "I have never come across anybody to marry." "Oh, I'll manage a marriage for you," cried the jackal. "Rely upon me to find you a bride." But he never attempted to look for one, while the poor crocodile's expectations were raised, and he impatiently awaited his wedding day. But nothing happened, so at last the crocodile reproached his friend for not keeping his word, if only in return for so often being carried backwards and forwards across the river for fresh air. Upon this the jackal, afraid of being still further pressed, thought of a plan, and taking a dhobie's[1] stone, the large one upon which the clothes are beaten, together with the dhobie's stick for beating upon them, and a woman's skirt and sari which the dhobie had spread on the river banks to dry, he made up a figure of a woman. Then he went to the crocodile, told him that was his bride, and galloped away. The crocodile much pleased went up to the figure and addressed it—to receive no reply. He spoke again, with the same result. At last he grew angry and pulled at the skirt, when all came to pieces and he found he had been deceived. Furious at being thus taken in, he
- ↑ Washerman.
