" He wakes up soon enough when we find him 

 squatting above the carcase," said the Jackal. " See 

 him flop along then." 



" When we find him ! " the Aasvogel said, open- 

 ing his eyes wide. " Sneaking prowler of the night ! 

 Little bastard of the Striped Thief ! " 



" Come down and fight," snarled the Hyena angrily. 

 " Thief and scavenger yourself ! " 



So the Things of the Air gathered about and joined 

 in backing the Black Aasvogel ; and the Things of the 

 Earth kept on challenging them to come down and 

 have it out ; but nobody could hear anything because 

 the Jackal yapped incessantly and the Go'way bird, 

 with its feathers all on end and its neck craned out, 

 screamed itself drunk with passion. 



Then the Eagle spoke out : 



" You have talked enough. Strike strike for the 

 eyes ! " and he swept down close to the Lion's head, 

 but swerving to avoid the big paw that darted out at 

 him, he struck in passing at the Jackal, and took off 

 part of his ear. 



" I am killed ! I am killed ! " screamed the Jackal, 

 racing for a hole to hide in. But the other beasts 

 laughed at him ; and when the Lion called them up 

 and bade them take their places in the field for the 

 great battle, the Jackal walked close behind him holding 

 his head on one side and showing each one what the 

 Eagle had done. 



" Where is my place ? " asked the Crocodile, in a 

 soft voice, from the bank where no one had noticed 

 him come up. 



354 



