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you to speak a little more loudly； and make the matter quite clear？ I am a
little slow of understanding。 Now what was it？〃
〃Do you think；〃 said the Brahmin； 〃it is right for this Tiger to eat me；
when I set him free from his cage？〃
〃What cage？〃 said the little Jackal。
〃Why； the cage he was in；〃 said the Brahmin。 〃You see〃
〃But I don't altogether understand；〃 said the little Jackal； 〃You ‘set him
free；' you say？〃
〃Yes； yes； yes！〃 said the Brahmin。
〃It was this way： I was walking along； and I saw the Tiger〃
〃Oh； dear； dear！〃 interrupted the little Jackal； 〃I never can see through
it； if you go on like that； with a long story。 If you really want my opinion
you must make the matter clear。 What sort of cage was it？〃
〃Why； a big； ordinary cage； an iron cage；〃 said the Brahmin。
〃That gives me no idea at all；〃 said the little Jackal。 〃See here； my
friends； if we are to get on with this matter you'd best show me the spot。
Then I can understand in a jiffy。 Show me the cage。〃
So the Brahmin； the Tiger； and the little Jackal walked back together to
the spot where the cage was。
〃Now； let us understand the situation；〃 said the little Jackal。 〃Brahmin；
where were you？〃
〃I stood here by the roadside；〃 said the Brahmin。
〃Tiger； where were you？〃 said the little Jackal。
〃Why； in the cage； of course；〃 roared the Tiger。
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〃Oh； I beg your pardon； Father Tiger；〃 said the little Jackal； 〃I really
am SO stupid； I cannot QUITE understand what happened。 If you will
have a little patience；HOW were you in the cage？ What position were
you in？〃
〃I stood here；〃 said the Tiger； leaping into the cage； 〃with my head
over my shoulder； so。〃
〃Oh； thank you； thank you；〃 said the little Jackal； 〃that makes it
MUCH clearer； but I still don't QUITE understandforgive my slow
mindwhy did you not come out； by yourself？〃
〃Can't you see that the door shut me in？〃 said the Tiger。
〃Oh； I do beg your pardon；〃 said the little Jackal。 〃I know I am very
slow； I can never understand things well unless I see just how they were if
you could show me now exactly how that door works I am sure I could
understand。 How does it shut？〃
〃It shuts like this；〃 said the Brahmin； pushing it to。
〃Yes； but I don't see any lock；〃 said the little Jackal； 〃does it lock on
the outside？〃
〃It locks like this；〃 said the Brahmin。 And he shut and bolted the door！
〃Oh； does it； indeed？〃 said the little Jackal。 〃Does it； INDEED！ Well；
Brother Brahmin； now that it is locked； I should advise you to let it stay
locked！ As for you； my friend；〃 he said to the Tiger； 〃I think you will wait
a good while before you'll find any one to let you out again！
Then he made a very low bow to the Brahmin。
〃Good…by； Brother；〃 he said。 〃Your way lies that way； and mine lies
this； good…by！〃
THE LITTLE JACKAL AND THE CAMEL
All these stories about the little Jackal that I have told you； show how
clever the little Jackal was。 But you knowif you don't； you will when you
are grown up that no matter how clever you are； sooner or later you
surely meet some one who is cleverer。 It is always so in life。 And it was so
with the little Jackal。 This is what happened。
The little Jackal was； as you know； exceedingly fond of shell…fish；
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especially of river crabs。 Now there came a time when he had eaten all the
crabs to be found on his own side of the river。 He knew there must be
plenty on the other side； if he could only get to them； but he could not
swim。
One day he thought of a plan。 He went to his friend the Camel； and
said；
〃Friend Camel； I know a spot where the sugar…cane grows thick； I'll
show you the way； if you will take me there。〃
〃Indeed I will；〃 said the Camel； who was very fond of sugar…cane。
〃Where is it？〃
〃It is on the other side of the river；〃 said the little Jackal； 〃but we can
manage it nicely； if you will take me on your back and swim over。〃
The Camel was perfectly willing； so the little Jackal jumped on his
back； and the Camel swam across the river； carrying him。 When they were
safely over； the little Jackal jumped down and showed the Camel the
sugar…cane field； then he ran swiftly along the river bank； to hunt for crabs；
the Camel began to eat sugar…cane。 He ate happily； and noticed nothing
around him。
Now； you know； a Camel is very big； and a Jackal is very little。
Consequently； the little Jackal had eaten his fill by the time the Camel had
barely taken a mouthful。 The little Jackal had no mind to wait for his slow
friend； he wanted to be off home again； about his business。 So he ran
round and round the sugar…cane field； and as he ran he sang and shouted；
and made a great hullabaloo。
Of course； the villagers heard him at once。
〃There is a Jackal in the sugar…cane；〃 they said； 〃he will dig holes and
destroy the roots； we must go down and drive him out。〃 So they came
down； with sticks and stones。 When they got there； there was no Jackal to
be seen； but they saw the great Camel； eating away at the juicy sugar… cane。
They ran at him and beat him； and stoned him； and drove him away half
dead。
When they had gone； leaving the poor Camel half killed； the little
Jackal came dancing back from somewhere or other。
〃I think it's time to go home； now；〃 he said； 〃don't you？〃
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〃Well； you ARE a pretty friend！〃 said the Camel。 〃The idea of your
making such a noise； with your shouting and singing！ You brought this
upon me。 What in the world made you do it？ Why did you shout and
sing？〃
〃Oh； I don't know WHY；〃 said the little Jackal；〃I always sing after
dinner！〃
〃So？〃 said the Camel； 〃Ah； very well； let us go home now。〃
He took the little Jackal kindly on his back and started into the water。
When he began to swim he swam out to where the river was the very
deepest。 There he stopped； and said；
〃Oh； Jackal！〃
〃Yes；〃 said the little Jackal。 〃I have the strangest feeling；〃 said the
Camel；〃I feel as if I must roll over。〃
〃‘Roll over'！〃 cried the Jackal。 〃My goodness； don't do that！ If you do
that； you'll drown me！ What in the world makes you want to do such a
crazy thing？ Why should you want to roll over？〃
〃Oh； I don't know WHY；〃 said the Camel slowly； 〃but I always roll
over after dinner！〃
So he rolled over。
And the little Jackal was drowned； for his sins； but the Camel came
safely home。
THE GULLS OF SALT LAKE
The story I am going to tell you is about something that really
happened； many years ago； when most of the mothers and fathers of the
children here were not born； themselves。 At that time； nearly all the people
in the United States lived between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi
River。 Beyond were plains； reaching to the foot of the mighty Rocky
Mountains； where Indians and wild beasts roamed。 The only white men
there were a few hunters and trappers。
One year a brave little company of people traveled across the plains in
big covered wagons with many horses； and finally succeeded in climbing
to the top of the great Rockies and down again into a valley in the very
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midst of the mountains。 It was a valley of brown； bare； desert soil； in a
climate where almost no rain falls； but the snows on the mountain…tops
sent down little streams of pure water； the winds were gentle； and lying
like a blue jewel at the foot of the western hills was a marvelous la