There once lived a Camel and a Jackal who were great friends. One day
the Jackal said to the Camel, "I know that there is a fine field of
sugarcane on the other side of the river. If you will take me across,
I'll show you the place. This plan will suit me as well as you. You
will enjoy eating the sugarcane, and I am sure to find many crabs'
bones and bits of fish by the riverside, on which to make a good
dinner."
The Camel consented, and swam across the river, taking the Jackal,
who could not swim, on his back. When they reached the other side, the
Camel went to eating the sugarcane, and the Jackal ran up and down the
river bank, devouring all the crabs, bits of fish, and bones he could
find.
But being a much smaller animal, he had made an excellent meal before
the Camel had eaten more than two or three mouthfuls; and no sooner
had he finished his dinner than he ran round and round the sugarcane
field, yelping and howling with all his might.
The villagers heard him, and thought, "There is a jackal among the
sugarcanes; he will be scratching holes in the ground and spoiling the
roots of the plants." And they all went down to the place to drive him
away. But when they got there they found to their surprise not only a
Jackal, but a Camel who was eating the sugarcanes! This made them very
angry, and they caught the poor Camel and drove him from the field and
beat him and beat him until he was nearly dead.
When they had gone, the Jackal said to the Camel, "We had better go
home." And the Camel said, "Very well; then jump upon my back, as you
did before."
So the Jackal jumped upon the Camel's back, and the Camel began to
recross the river. When they had got well into the water, the Camel
said: "This is a pretty way in which you have treated me, friend
Jackal. No sooner had you finished your own dinner than you must go
yelping about the place loud enough to arouse the whole village, and
bring all the villagers down to beat me black and blue, and turn me
out of the field before I had eaten two mouthfuls! What in the world
did you make such a noise for?"
"I don't know," said the Jackal. "It is a custom I have. I always like
to sing a little after dinner."
The Camel waded on through the river. The water reached up to his
knees--then above them--up, up, up, higher and higher, until he was
obliged to swim. Then turning to the Jackal, he said, "I feel very
anxious to roll." "Oh, pray don't; why do you wish to do so?" asked
the Jackal. "I don't know," answered the Camel. "It is a custom I
have. I always like to have a little roll after dinner." So saying, he
rolled over in the water, shaking the Jackal off as he did so. And the
Jackal was drowned, but the Camel swam safely ashore.
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