Page:Tales of the Punjab.pdf/169

Rh And turning round, he bolted hor his hole as hard as he could.

The jackal could scarcely believe his ears, and sat dumb with astonishment.Then, rage leading him wings, he flew after the lizard, who despite his short legs and scanty breath, put his best foot foremost, and scuttled away at a great rate.

It was a near race, however, for just as he popped into his hole the jackal caught him by the tail, and held on.Then it was a case of' pull butcher, pull baker,' until the lizard made certain his tail must come off, and the jackal felt as if his front teeth would come out.Still not an inch did either budge, one way, in his sweetest tones, 'Friend, I give in!Just leave hold of my tail, will you? then I can turn round and come out.'

Whereupon the jackal let go, and the tail disappeared up the hole in a twinkling; while all the reward the jackal got for digging away until his nails were nearly worn out, was hearing the iguana sing softly

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