Page:Old Deccan Days.djvu/176

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134
OLD DECCAN DAYS.

to their surprise not only a Jackal, but a Camel who was eating the sugar-canes! This made them very angry, and they caught the poor Camel, and drove him from the field, and beat him until he was nearly dead.

When they had gone, the Jackal said to the Camel, 'We had better go home.' And the Camel said, 'Very well, then, jump upon my back as you did before.'

So the Jackal jumped upon the Camel's back, and the Camel began to recross the river. When they had got well into the water, the Camel said, 'This is a pretty way in which you have treated me, friend Jackal. No sooner had you finished your own dinner than you must go yelping about the place loud enough to arouse the whole village, and bring all the villagers down to beat me black and blue, and turn me out of the field before I had eaten two mouthfuls! What in the world did you make such a noise for?'

'I don't know,' said the Jackal. 'It is a custom I have. I always like to sing a little after dinner.'

The Camel waded on through the river. The water reached up to his knees—then above them—up, up, up, higher and higher, until he was obliged to swim. Then turning to the Jackal, he said, 'I feel very anxious to roll.' 'Oh, pray don't; why do you wish to do so?' asked the Jackal. 'I don't know,' answered the Camel: 'it is a custom I have. I always like to have a little roll after dinner.' So saying, he rolled over in the water, shaking the Jackal off as he did so. And the Jackal was drowned, but the Camel swam safely ashore.