Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 22, 1911.djvu/258

 2 24 Collectanea.

and threw them in, and said, — " Now, let the Rooster come and take them out." When the Rooster had come, she said, — " Now, as for the Elephant, you see what work he has done, (but) he says you are to take them out." Then the Rooster summoned all the fowls, and they came and pulled out all the wood, and threw out all the grass. So the rubbish hole became as it was before. Then the Elephant came, and the woman said, — " Now, you see what the Rooster has done." Then the Elephant said, — "Very well. To-morrow, when the Rooster comes, tell him to-morrow we shall fight, he and I." When the Rooster had come and heard (this), he said, — "Very well. Let each get his relations to help him." So the Elephant went and summoned all the beasts of the forests. The Rooster also went and summoned all the birds. Then they came to the battle-field. The Hawk (or Kite?) said, — "I am general." The Hyaena was told off to see if their army was drawn up. Then they said, — " Now, Ostrich, you go ahead. You go and see if their army is drawn up." Now it happened that the Hyaena was coming, the Ostrich also was coming, and they met and saw each other. The Hysena said, — " Oh, Ostrich, is your army ready ? " And the Ostrich said, — "What about you? Is yours ready?" She (Hyaena) said,— "Yes." Then the Ostrich said,— "Go back and tell them. I will return and tell mine." When the Ostrich turned round, the Hysena saw the flesh at the bird's back, and she felt greedy and said, — " Ostrich, wait. Let us have our little fight, you and I." The Ostrich said, — "Very well. You beat me three times, and I also will return (the blows) three times." The Hyaena came and beat the Ostrich three times. The Ostrich got up and said, — " Now let me return (the blows)." She came and beat her with her wings, she kicked her with her feet, she pecked with her beak. The Hyaena said,— " That's three times." She said, — " Oh no, that is only once." She again pecked her with her beak and pulled out her eye, and then she said, — "Let us return." The beasts of the^forest, when they saw the Hyaena without an eye, said, — "What is the matter?" She said, — "Do you see my eyes have been plucked out? We are not able to fight them (their war)." Fear had already got hold of her. Then they said, — " Come, let us go." They arrived on the battle-ground at the same time (one mouth). Then the Rooster said, — " Let us give