. Tales of the Punjab : told by the people . nt halflike the idea of going back empty-handed to thetiger, but as he could think of no other plan he didas he was bid, and found the beast still sharpeninghis teeth and claws for very hunger ; and when heheard he had to wait still longer for his dinner, hebegan to prowl about, and lash his tail, and curl hiswhiskers, in a most terrible manner, causing the poorfarmers knees to knock together with terror. Now, when the farmer had left the house, hiswife went to the stable and saddled the pony ; thenshe put on her husbands best clothes, tied theturba
. Tales of the Punjab : told by the people . nt halflike the idea of going back empty-handed to thetiger, but as he could think of no other plan he didas he was bid, and found the beast still sharpeninghis teeth and claws for very hunger ; and when heheard he had to wait still longer for his dinner, hebegan to prowl about, and lash his tail, and curl hiswhiskers, in a most terrible manner, causing the poorfarmers knees to knock together with terror. Now, when the farmer had left the house, hiswife went to the stable and saddled the pony ; thenshe put on her husbands best clothes, tied theturban very high, so as to make her look as tall aspossible, bestrode the pony, and set off to the fieldwhere the tiger was. She rode along, swaggering and blustering, tillshe came to where the lane turned into the field, andthen she called out, as bold as brass, Now, pleasethe powers! I may find a tiger in this place ; for I 126 TALES OF THE PUNJAB havent tasted tigers meat since yesterday, when, asluck would have it, I ate three for Hearing these words, and seeing the speaker rideboldly at him, the tiger became so alarmed that heturned tail, and bolted into the forest, going away atsuch a headlong pace that he nearly overturned his THE CLOSE ALLIANCE 127 own jackal ; for tigers always have a jackal of theirown, who, as it were, waits at table and clears awaythe bones. My lord ! my lord ! cried the jackal, whitheraway so fast ? Run ! run ! panted the tiger ; theres the verydevil of a horseman in yonder fields, who thinksnothing of eating three tigers for breakfast! At this the jackal sniggered in his sleeve. Mydear lord, said he, the sun has dazzled your eyes !That was no horseman, but only the farmers wifedressed up as a man ! Are you quite sure ? asked the tiger, pausing. Quite sure, my lord/ repeated the jackal; andif your lordships eyes had not been dazzled by—ahem !—the sun, your lordship would have seen herpigtail hanging down behind. But you may be mistaken !
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