Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/89

Rh Then he was obliged to say, "Come, let us try which can leap best." So the frog replied, " Just whatever will make moonlight in your belly (so, lit. trans.) Do your best, for if you don't exert yourself you will regret it, so don't have a stomach-ache for nothing."

So the two came to the water-side to try who could leap furthest. And when they came there and the wild-hog was just about to do his best, the frog jumped again upon his neck. And again the stupid fellow knew nothing about it, for what good is it to be big if one has no sense? And so when they were just at the goal the frog leaped off again, and so he was first, upon which the wild-hog foamed at the mouth, and his eyes turned red. And again he was astonished to see him take it so easily, and said, "There is no getting the better of you, you rascal."

Then he spoke again, and said, "Come, let us have one more trial." "Agreed," said the frog. The other said, "Let us both call together our friends, for this is the last trial, lest we should die without any relatives present, and so prove the proverb, ' Dying in silence, like embers. "Agreed," said the frog; so he went off and called together all the frogs of his tribe, and also the tsintsina (a bird, Cisticola Madagascariensis); and they assembled in great numbers.

But the wild-hog boasted so much that only two or three of his friends came. And when they were assembled the wild-hog began to eat, but the tsintsinas called out, "Tsintsino, tsintsino!" &c. and the frogs croaked, "Ireo, ireo!" &c. And when the wild-hog heard that he could endure no longer, but fled. So the frogs and the birds cried out, "Curses on you, you stupid! there is nothing at all, and you flee without any one pursuing."