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176 TALES OF THU PUNJAB

the better of his bruises, and meanwhile he became hungry.

‘Now is the time for friendship!’ said he to the Partridge. ‘Get me a good dinner, and I will acknowledge you are a true friend’

‘Very well!’ replied the Partridge ; ‘only watch me, and help yourself when the time comes.’

Just then a troop of women came by, carrying their husbands’ dinners to the harvest-field.

The Partridge gave a little plaintive cry, and began fluttering along from bush to bush as if she were wounded.

'A wounded bird !—a wounded bird!’ cried the women; ‘we can easily catch it!’

Whereupon they set off in pursuit, but the cunning Partridge played a thousand tricks, till they became so excited over the chase that they put their bundles on the ground in order to pursue it more nimbly, The Jackal, meanwhile, seizing his opportunity, crept up, and made off with a good dinner.

‘ Are you satisfied now?’ asked the Partridge.

‘Well,’ returned the Jackal,‘ 1 confess you have given me a very good dinner; you have also made me laugh—and cry—ahem! But, after all, the great test of friendship is beyond you—you couldn’t save my life!’

'Perhaps not,’ acquiesced the Partridge mournfully, ‘I am so small and weak. But it grows late—we should be going home ; and as it is a long way round by the ford, let us go across the river. My friend the crocodile will carry us over.’

Accordingly, they set off for the river, and the crocodile kindly consented to carry them across, so