CH. xn SOXGS AND ROMANCE IX OLD MIXAHASSA 307 



his trees were getting on, and he replied that they were abeady 

 quite high and had good leaves. But the ape's answers to the 

 turtle's iaquiries were not so satisfactory, for he had eaten away 

 the young leaves as they sprouted, and he had to confess that his 

 bananas, although high, were only stalks and stem. 



Later on, when the same inqmries were made by the two 

 friends, the ape's reply was that there were a few leaves on the 

 stem, while the turtle rephed, ' My trees are bearing fruit.' 



FiaaUy, when the turtle was able to declare that his bananas 

 were ripe, the ape Wis obhged mournfaUy to declare that his 

 trees were aU dead. 



' Now,' said the ape, ' if my friend cannot climb the tree to 

 get his fruit, I can do so. AUow me, then, to climb your trees 

 to get your fruit for you.' 



The turtle was obhged to consent to this arrangement, and 

 when the ape had clambered up into the tree he said to him, 

 ' Mow send me down some bananas.' But the monkey ate up 

 all the flesh, and sent him down only the skins. This made 

 the turtle very angry, so he put a number of sungga (bamboo 

 sharpened to points) in the ground. Then, when the ape had 

 eaten enough and wished to come down, he said, ' Don't go down 

 on that side of the tree, for the ground is there soft and muddy.' 

 The ape, being heavy with the fruits he had eaten and well 

 contented with himself, came down heavily and carelessly, so 

 that he feU on the sungga, and was pierced to the heart and died. 



We generally find in the stories about animals that the 

 apes have attributed to them a superior wit or cunning, so 

 that they are able in some way or another to gain some 

 advantage over other animals. In the following story the 

 turtle gets the best of the monkeys : — 



A turtle once asked a number of apes to come out with him 

 to catch fish. The apes, knowing that the turtle was very clever 

 at catching fish, consented, and they all went down to the shore 

 together. The place they came to, however, was quite dry, so 

 they asked the turtle how it was possible for them to catch fish 

 there. The turtle replied, ' Oh, that is easy enough. Wait until 

 you see a shell-fish lying with its shells open, then all you have 

 to do is to put your hand in and pick it out.' The apes tried 



X 2 



