Page:Tales of old Lusitania.djvu/190

174 the queen's skirt, who will not scold the king for not punishing the magistrate, who will not bid the man remove his olive tree to make room for my pomegranate tree to grow."

The water replied, "The fire is boiling me to cook the king's cabbages."

Then the monkey went to the ox and said, "Oh, ox, drink up the water that will not put out the fire, that will not burn the stick, that will not beat the dog, that will not worry the cat, that will not kill the rat, that will not gnaw the queen's skirt, who will not scold the king for not punishing the magistrate, who will not bid the man remove his olive tree to make room for my pomegranate tree to grow."

The ox replied, "The cabbages would burn, and the king's dinner would be spoilt."

Then the monkey went to the butcher, and said, "Oh, butcher, kill the ox that will not drink up the water, that will not put out the fire, that will not burn the stick, that will not beat the dog, that will not worry the cat, that will not kill the rat, that will not gnaw the queen's skirt, who will not scold the king for not punishing the magistrate, who will not bid the man remove his olive tree to make room for my pomegranate tree to grow."

The butcher replied, "You mayn't kill other people's cattle."

At last the monkey went to Death, and said, "Oh,