Page:The jade story book; stories from the Orient (IA jadestorybooksto00cous).pdf/311

Rh if the hunter should come, how could you escape? The rest of us could easily look after ourselves, for the crow would fly into the air, the weasel could hide in any hole, and I should seek safety in flight; but you, who move so slowly, would be at the mercy of the hunter.

At this moment, surely enough, the hunter appeared, and it happened as the goat had said. The latter ran swiftly away; the crow flew into the air, and the weasel disappeared into a hole. Only the tortoise was left, unable to escape.

The hunter was greatly vexed when he saw the broken net, and he wondered who could have helped the goat to get away. He looked around, and of course saw the tortoise.

"Well," he said, "here is a tortoise, and that is better than nothing, and it will make a very good meal." So he threw the tortoise into a sack which he carried, threw it over his shoulder, and started off home.

When he had gone the three friends returned, and guessed at once what had happened to the tortoise. They bitterly bemoaned his fate, especially the goat, who