The next day the alligator came to the jackal's house and, finding it deserted, suspected the truth, and with sighs and tears thus soliloquized, "Wretch of a jackal, don't think you will be able to give me the slip. I know that you frequent the canal yonder, in search of crabs; and I will lie in ambush there, and will teach you what it is to offend against an alligator." Saying this, he went off direct to the canal, and hid himself under the water. The jackal guessed his intentions, but could not desist from visiting the canal, which contained the best crabs to be had. He proceeded cautiously, however, for a few days. But in course of time his fears vanished; and one day, seeing a number of well-grown crabs swimming in the water, he could not resist the temptation of jumping in. It was the moment for which the alligator had so long waited, and in the twinkling of an eye he caught the jackal by one of his legs and tried to drag him to the bank. There was a fierce struggle on both sides, and in the midst of it the jackal was drawn to a bed of reeds. He instantly broke one of them, and holding it forward under the water towards his assailant, said, "Mr. Alligator, I admire your sagacity. Instead of biting one of my legs you seized the stick I had in my hand. Now see here, both my legs are uninjured, and I put one of them forth, to convince you of your stupidity." The ruse succeeded, and the alligator, releasing the leg, seized the reed with his teeth, leaving his antagonist free to jump away, saying, "Good-bye, friend. I will again open a school. Send your future darlings there."
Days passed until one morning the alligator, having ascertained the new whereabouts of his enemy, went there to satisfy his long-standing grudge. He knew that he could not get the jackal into his clutches except by a stratagem, so he feigned death, with his mouth wide open and stomach distended. The jackal, approaching near, suspected the trick, and to see how long the alligator would have patience to remain in that state, he from a little distance threw stones into its mouth. But still the alligator did not move. Then
