Page:Tales of the Punjab.pdf/131

Rh what's the matter, Mr. Brâhman?You look as miserable as a fish out of water!'

Then the Brâhman told him all that had occured.'How very confusing!' said the jackal, when the recital was ended; 'would you mind telling me over again? for everything seems so mixed up!'

The Brâhman told it all over again, but the jackal shook his head in a distracted sort of way, and still could not understand.

'It's very odd,' said he sadly, 'but it all seems to go in at one ear and out at the other!I will go to the place where it all happened, and then perhaps I shall be able to give a judgment.'

So they returned to the cage, by which the tiger was waiting for the Brâhman, and sharpening his teeth and claws.

'You've been away a long time!' growled the savage beast, 'but now let us begin our dinner?

'Our dinner!' thought the wretched Brâhman as his knees knocked together with fright; 'what a remarkably delicate way of putting it!'

'Give me five minutes, my lord!' he pleaded, 'in order that I may explain matters to the jackal here, who is somewhat slow in his wits.'

The tiger consented, and the Brâhman began the whole story over again, not missing a single detail, and spinning as long as yarn as possible.

'Oh, my poor brain! oh, my poor brain!' cried the jackal, wringing his paws.'Let me see! how did it all begin?You were in the cage, and the tiger came walking by'

'Pooh!' interrupted the tiger, 'what a fool you are!I was in the cage.'