Page:Folk Tales from Tibet (1906).djvu/172

136 "I have come to you a second time, Oh King, in order to see whether I can be of any use to you. The last time I was here you did me and my people a great favour, for which we shall ever be grateful, and if it is now in our power to assist you in any way, we shall be very glad to do our best."

The King, in spite of his grief, was much amused on hearing these words from the Mouse.

"Why," said he, "what could the Mice do to help me in my present predicament? We are threatened with invasion by a foreign army, outnumbering mine by many thousands, and all the men I can muster will not be sufficient to enable me to repel the enemy. I don't see how the Mice can help me."

"Do you remember, Oh King!" replied the Mouse, "that on the last occasion I was here you doubted our ability to carry away the grain you had given us, or to repay you the loan? And yet we proved ourselves able to do both. All we ask you now is to trust us again, and if you will undertake to do one or two things which we ask of you, we on our part will undertake to rid you of the invading army."

The King was a good deal struck by this remark of the Mouse, and he replied:

"Very well, what you say is quite true; and if you will inform me what you wish me to do, I will undertake to carry out my share of the bargain."

"Well, then," answered the Mouse, "all we wish you to do is to provide us by to-morrow evening with one