Page:Tales of the Punjab.pdf/222

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200 TALES OF THE PUNJAB

Queen won't coax King ;

King won't kill man ;

Man won't cut tree ;

I can’t get the grain of corn

To save my life from the farmer's wife!’

But the fire refused to burn the stick; so the crow flew on till he met some water, and said—

‘Water! water! quench fire ;

Fire won’t burn stick ;

Stick won’t beat snake ;

Snake won't bite Queen ;

Queen won't coax King ;

King won't kill man ;

Man won’t cut tree ;

I can’t get the grain of corn

To save my life from the farmer’s wife!’

But the water refused to quench the fire; so the crow flew on till he met an ox, and said—

‘Ox! ox! drink water ;

Water won't quench fire ;

Fire won't burn stick ;

Stick won't beat snake ;

Snake won’t bite Queen ;

Queen won't coax King ;

King won't kill man ;

Man won't cut tree;

I can’t get the grain of corn

To save my life from the farmer’s wife!’

But the ox refused to drink the water; so the crow flew on till he met a rope, and said—

‘Rope! rope! bind ox ;