Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 21, 1910.djvu/544

 502 Collectanea.

go out, his body prevented him. So the people of the house came and beat the Dog well, until the Dog played them a trick and lay as if he were dead. When they saw the Dog was dead, they threw him away. Then the Dog opened his eyes (awoke), got up, and ran away. 22

30. The Contest of Wits between the Dog and the Jackal. (B. G.)

This is about the Jackal and the Dog. They were friends. The Jackal asked the Dog, and said, — " How many wits have you got?" The Dog said, — "Twelve." He said, — "How many have you?" He said, — "Only one." Then the Jackal said, — " Well, let us go for a walk and see what your wits (are worth)." So they went and found that the Hyaena had gone for a walk,^^ so they went into her house. When the Hyaena came back, she said, — "Ah, welcome, Jackal." Then the Jackal said, — "I came to see how you were, I have had guests." ^^ He showed her the Dog, and said, — " See what the guests brought for me. (They are) ten. I have brought you one." Then the Hyaena said, — " Thank God, Jackal." Then the Jackal asked the Dog, and said, — " Hullo, Dog, amongst your twelve wits how many are left ? " The Dog said, — " Ten." Then the Jackal said to the Hyaena, — "You must look and see him, look fixedly (join eyes), do not ignore him." When the Hysena had looked fixedly at the Dog, and they had stared at each other, the whole of the Dog's body was shaking. Then the Jackal said to him, — " Hullo, Dog, of your wits how many are left?" Then the Dog said, — "Oh, dear, only two." Then the Jackal said, — " Very well, tell me what the two are." Then the Dog said, — " At first, when I am crushed, I shall call out. After that, when I am crushed again more powerfully, then I will drop." Then the Jackal said, — " Very well, you will see that my one wit is better than your twelve." Then he said to the Hyaena, — "I have been thinking." Then the Hyaena said, — "What

^Cf. Vaughan, Old Hendrik's Tales, p. 125 ("Ou' Jackalse Takes Ou' Wolf A-Sheep Stealing ").

^Lit. "They came upon the Hyaena, she had gone for a walk." This does not mean that they met her, but that they did not find her.

'^See note to story 19, (p. 487).