Page:Tales of the Punjab.pdf/168

146 'Pouf! pouf! pouf!' gasped the iguana.'Mercy on us, how dry my throat is!Mightn't I have just a wee sip of water first? and then I could so justice to your admirable lines; at present I am as hoarse as a crow!'

'By all means!' replied the jackal, with a gratifield smirk.'I flatter myself the verses are good, especially when well recited.'

So the iguana, nose down into the water, drank away, until the jackal began to think he would never leave off, and was quite taken aback when he finally came to an end of his draught, and began to move away.

'Hi! hi!' cried the jackal recovering his presence of mind; 'stop a bit, and say

'Silver is his daïs, plastered o'er with gold;

In his cars are jewels,some prince I must behold!'

'Dear me!' replied the iguana, politely, 'I was very nearly forgetting!Let me seeI must try my voice firstDo, re, me, fa, sol, la, si,that is right! Now, how does it run?'

'Silver is his daïs, plastered o'er with gold;

In his cars are jewels,some prince I must behold!'

repeated the jackal, not observing that the lizard was carefully edging farther and farther away.

'Exactly so,' returned the iguana; 'I think I could say that!'Whereupon he sang out at the top of his voice

'Bones make up his daïs, with mud it's plastered o'er Old shoes are his ear-drops: a jackal, nothing more!'