The Things of the Earth that were near him 

 moved quietly away. 



"Your place is in the water," the Lion answered. 

 " Coward and traitor whom no one trusts ! Who 

 would fight with his back to you ? " 



The Crocodile laughed softly and rolled his green eyes 

 from one to another ; and they moved still further 

 away. 



" What am I ? " asked the Ostrich. " Kindred 

 of the Birds, I am of the winged ones ; yet I cannot 

 fight with them ! " 



" Let him fly ! " said the Jackal, grinning, " and we 

 shall then see to whom he belongs ! Fly, old Three 

 Sticks ! Fly ! " 



The Ostrich ran at him, waltzing and darting with 

 wings outspread, but the Jackal dodged away under 

 the Lion and squealed out, " Take your feet off the 

 ground, Clumsy, and fly ! " 



Then it was arranged that there should be two 

 Umpires, one for each party, and that the Umpires 

 should stand on two high hills where all could see 

 them. The Ostrich was made Umpire for the Things 

 of the Air, and as long as the fight went well with his 

 party he was to hold his head high so that the Things 

 of the Air might see the long thin neck upright and, 

 knowing that all was well, fight on. 



The Jackal asked that he might be Umpire for the 

 Things of the Earth. 



" You are too small to be seen ! " objected the Lion 

 gruffly. 



" No ! No ! " urged the Jackal, " I will stand on 



355 



