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 Rh "How am I to take it?" asked the traveller. "Can I trust myself near to such a fierce looking brute as you are?"

"Listen," replied the Tiger, "in my younger days I know that I was very wicked. I killed cows and men without number—even holy Brahmans—and I was punished for it by losing my wife and children; I haven't a relation left. But lately I met a holy man who taught me to practise the duty of charity, and alms-giving. Besides, I am very old, and my claws and teeth are all gone. So you need not fear to trust me. I have kept this golden bangle to give to any one who seems in need. You look poor, so I will give it to you.

Hearing this, the covetous traveller made up his mind to trust the Tiger, and waded into the pool. But he soon found himself stuck deep in the mud, and unable to move.

"Ho! ho!" said the Tiger, "are you stuck fast in the mud? Wait and I will come and pull you out!"

So saying, the Tiger sprang upon the unhappy traveller and quickly made a meal of him.

(Hitopadeça. Book I. Fable I. Adapted from translation by Sir Edwin Arnold.)

THE JACKAL, THE DEER AND THE CROW

AR away in Behar there is a forest called Champak-Grove, in which a Deer and a Crow had long lived in close friendship. The Deer, roaming at large through the forest, happy, well fed and fat of limb, was one day seen by a Jackal. "Ho, ho!" thought the Jackal on observing him, "I should very much like some of that Deer's tender meat for my dinner! It might