Page:Tales of the Punjab.pdf/124



SPARROW AND A CROW once agreed to have khichri for dinner. So the Sparrow brought rice, and the Crow brought lentils, and the Sparrow was cook, and when the khichri was ready, the Crow stood by to claim his share.

‘Who ever heard of any one sitting down to dinner so dirty as you are?’ quoth the Sparrow scornfully. ‘Your body is quite black, and your head looks as if it were covered with ashes. For goodness gracious sake,go and wash in the Pond ﬁrst.’

The Crew, though a little huffy at being called dirty, deemed it best to comply, for he knew what a determined little person the Sparrow was; so he went to the Pond, and said—