Page:Fairy Tales for Worker's Children.djvu/52

 The little boy obeyed and the dog addressed himself with cajoling courtesy to the alligator, saying, "Excuse us for having come to your kingdom, mighty lord of the river, but we are fleeing from evil people and know that you with your power will be good enough to defend us."

The alligator felt flattered, drew his gigantic mouth into a friendly grin, and replied politely, "You are a clever animal. I am truly more mighty than people, and," he agreed pensively, "neither are we as bad as they. But this creature that sat with his feet hanging in the water is also a human being. Then why is he running away from his brothers?" And the shiny, greenish eyes of the alligator looked distrustfully at the dog.

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