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see him； for he was hiding under the very bank she was
standing on； and though his tail stuck out a little she
never saw him at all。
She would have liked to run home； but she was too much
afraid that Black Noggy would beat her。
So Little Black Mingo crept down to the river； and began to
fill the big chatty with water。 And while she was filling
it the Mugger came creeping softly down behind her and
caught her by the tail； saying； 〃Aha； Little Black Mingo；
now I've got you。〃
And Little Black Mingo said； 〃Oh！ Please don't eat me up；
great big Mugger。〃
What will you give me； if I don't eat you up？〃 said the
Mugger。 But Little Black Mingo was so poor she had nothing
to give。 So the Mugger caught her in his great cruel mouth
and swam away with her to an island in the middle of the
river and set her down beside a huge piles of eggs。
〃Those are my eggs；〃 said he； 〃to…morrow a little mugger
will come out of each； and then we will have a great feast；
and we will eat you up。〃
Then he waddled off to catch fish for himself； and left
Little Black Mingo alone beside the big pile of eggs。
And Little Black Mingo sat down on a big stone and hid her
face in her hands； and cried bitterly； because she couldn't
swim and she didn't know how to get away。
Presently she heard a queer little squeaky noise that
sounded like 〃Squeak； Squeak； Squeak！！！ Oh Little Black
Mingo； help me or I shall be drowned。〃 She got up and
looked to see what was calling； and she saw a bush coming
floating down the river with something wriggling and
scrambling about in it； and as it came near she saw that it
was a Mongoose that was in the bush。 So she waded out as
far as she could； and caught hold of the bush and pulled it
in； and the poor Mongoose crawled up her arm on to her
shoulder； and she carried him to shore。
When they got to shore the Mongoose shook himself； and
Little Black Mingo wrung out her petticoat； and so they both
very soon got dry。
The Mongoose then began to poke about for something to eat；
and very soon he found the great big pile of Mugger's eggs。
〃Oh； joy！〃 said he； 〃what's this？〃
〃Those are Mugger's eggs；〃 said Little Black Mingo。
〃I'm not afraid of Muggers！〃 said the Mongoose； and he sat
down and began to crack the eggs； and eat the little muggers
as they came out。 And he threw the shells into the water；
so that the old Mugger should not see that any one had been
eating them。 But he was careless； and he left one eggshell
on the edge； and he was hungry and he ate so many that the
pile got much smaller； and when the old Mugger came back he
saw at once that some one had been meddling with them。
So he ran to Little Black Mingo； and said； 〃How dare you eat
my eggs？〃
〃Indeed； indeed I didn't；〃 said Little Black Mingo。
〃Then who could it have been？〃 said the Mugger； and he ran
back to the eggs as fast as he could； and sure enough when
he got back he found the Mongoose had eaten a whole lot
more！！
Then he said to himself； 〃I must stay beside my eggs till
they are hatched into little muggers； or the Mongoose will
eat them all。〃 So he curled himself into a ring round the
eggs and went to sleep。
But while he was asleep the Mongoose came to eat some more
of the eggs； and ate as many as he wanted； and when the
Mugger woke this time； oh！ WHAT a rage he was in； for there
were only six eggs left！ He roared so loud that all the
little muggers inside the shells gnashed their teeth； and
tried to roar too。
Then he said； 〃I know what I'll do； I'll fetch Little Black
Mingo's big chatty and cover my eggs with that； then the
Mongoose won't be able to get at them。〃 So he swam across
to the shore； and fetched the dhobi's big chatty； and
covered the eggs with it。 〃Now； you wicked little Mongoose；
come and eat my eggs if you can；〃 said he； and he went off
quite proud and happy。
By and by the Mongoose came back； and he was terribly
disappointed when he found the eggs all covered with the big
chatty。
So he ran off to Little Black Mingo； and asked her to help
him； and Little Black Mingo came and took the big chatty off
the eggs； and the Mongoose ate them every one。
〃Now；〃 said he； 〃there will be no little muggers to make a
feast for tomorrow。〃
〃No；〃 said Little Black Mingo； 〃but the Mugger will eat me
all by himself I am afraid。〃
〃No he won't；〃 said the Mongoose； 〃for we will sail away
together in the big chatty before he comes back。〃
So he climbed on to the edge of the chatty； and Little Black
Mingo pushed the chatty out into the water； and then she
clambered into it and paddled with her two hands as hard as
she could； and the big chatty just sailed beautifully。
So they got across safely； and Little Black Mingo filled the
chatty half full of water and took it on her head； and they
went up the bank together。
But when the Mugger came back； and found only empty egg…
shells he was fearfully angry。 He roared and he raged； and
he howled and he yelled； till the whole island shook； and
his tears ran down his cheeks and pattered on the sand like
rain。
So he started to chase Little Black Mingo and the Mongoose；
and he swam across the river as fast as ever he could； and
when he was half way across he saw them landing； and as he
landed they hurried over the first ridge。
So he raced after them； but they ran； and just before he
caught them they got into the house； and banged the door in
his face。 Then they shut all the windows； so he could not
get in anywhere。
〃All right；〃 said he； 〃you will have to come out some time；
and then I will catch you both； and eat you up。〃
So he hid behind the back of the house and waited。
Now Black Noggy was just coming home from the bazaar with a
tin of kerosene on her head； and a box of matches in her
hand。
And when he saw her the Mugger rushed out and gobbled her
up； kerosene tin； matches and all！！！
When Black Noggy found herself in the Muggers' dark inside；
she wanted to see where she was； so she felt for the match…
box and took out a match and lit it。 But the Mugger's teeth
had made holes in the kerosene tin； so that the flame of the
match caught the kerosene； and BANG！！ the kerosene
exploded； and blew the old Mugger and Black noggy into
little bits。
At the fearful noise Little Black Mingo and the Mongoose
came running out； and there they found Black Noggy and the
old Mugger all blown to bits。
So Little Black Mingo and the Mongoose got the nice little
house for their very own； and there they lived happy ever
after。 And Little Black Mingo got the Mugger's beard for her
seat； and the Mongoose got Black Noggy's handkerchief for
his。 But he was so wee he used to put it on the Mugger's
nose； and there they sat； and had their tea every evening。
End