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XII.

THE JACKAL, THE BARBER, AND THE BRAHMAN

WHO HAD SEVEN DAUGHTERS.

BARBER and a Jackal once struck up a great friendship, which might have continued to this day, had not the Jackal been so clever that the Barber never felt quite on equal terms with him, and suspected his friend of playing him many tricks. But this he was not able to prove.

One day the Jackal said to the Barber, 'It would be a nice thing for us to have a garden of our own, in which we might grow as many cucumbers, pumpkins, and melons as we like. Why should we not buy one?'

The Barber answered, 'Very well; here is money. Do you go and buy us a garden.' So the Jackal took the Barber's money, and with it bought a fine garden, in which were cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, figs, and many other good fruits and vegetables. And he used to go there every day, and feast to his heart's content. When, however, the Barber said to him, 'What is the garden like which you bought with the money I gave you?' he answered, 'There are very fine plants in it, but there is no fruit upon them; when the fruit is ripe I will let you know.' This reply satisfied the Barber, who inquired no further at that time.

A little while afterwards the Barber again asked the Jackal about the garden, saying, 'I see you go down to that garden every day; is the fruit getting ripe?'—'Oh dear no, not yet,' answered the Jackal; 'why, the plants are only just coming into blossom.' 120