Page:The jade story book; stories from the Orient (IA jadestorybooksto00cous).pdf/260



upon a time a Jackal, who was prowling around the suburbs of a town, fell into an indigo-tank. He found that he was unable to get out of this, and so lay down as though he were dead.

In due time the dyer came to the tank, and finding what he supposed to be a dead Jackal, took him out and threw him into the jungle.

When the dyer was far enough away the Jackal scrambled to his feet, and looking himself over found his color changed to a beautiful blue.

"Now," he said to himself, "I am certainly much prettier than I was before; why should not this accident prove to be a good thing for me. When the other jackals see my wonderful color, it should be easy for me to persuade them that I should be their king."