The Camel and the Jackal

On the Bank of the River. A Camel and a Jackal live together in a village.

The Jackal is naughty, and he likes to make fun of the Camel.

One day, the Jackal and the Camel go to the bank of the river. The Camel lies down under a tree and falls asleep. The Jackal walks along the bank and eats as many crabs as he can find.

"Dear me!" says he, "I'm still hungry. I know there are many crabs on the other side of the river. I can't swim, but the Camel can."

So he runs up to the Camel and cries, "Get up, Camel, come and eat some sugar cane."

When the Camel hears the word sugar, he jumps up and cries, "I'm coming! I'm coming!"

"It is very sweet sugar cane," says the Jackal. "I must show you where it is. Take me across the river on your back."

"Very well," says the Camel. "Sit on my back, and let us swim across the river."

On the Other Side of the River. The Jackal climbs upon the Camel's back.

Soon they are on the other side of the river. The Jackal shows the Camel where the sugar cane is, and then he runs off to eat crabs.

Camels are very large, and Jackals are very small. So the Camel eats very much sugar cane, and still it is not enough.

Soon the Jackal eats up all the crabs on the other side of the river, and he wants to go home.

"I don't want to wait for the Camel," says the Jackal to himself. "I want to go home."

So he runs and runs about the field, and laughs, and sings. The people hear him and say, "There is a Jackal in the field," and they come out with sticks and stones, but the Jackal is not there.

They find the Camel and beat him with sticks, and throw stones at him.

You are not a Good Friend. By and by the Jackal comes back.

"Are you ready to go home?" he asks the Camel.

"You are not a good friend," says the Camel. "You always make fun of me. You are naughty. You always laugh and sing, and then you run away. The people come and throw stones at me and beat me. Why do you always make such a noise?"

"Oh, I don't know why I make such a noise," says the Jackal. "I always laugh and sing after dinner."

"Oh, do you?" says the Camel. "Well, now let us go home."

I Always Roll Over after Dinner.

So the Camel takes the little Jackal on his back once more and begins to swim across the river.

In the middle of the river he stops.

"What is the matter?" asks the Jackal.

"Oh, I don't know," says the Camel. "But I want to roll over."

"Don't do that," says the Jackal. "I can't swim. Why do you want to roll over?"

"I don't know," says the Camel. "I always roll over after dinner."

So the Jackal is drowned, but the Camel comes safely home.