66 SOME MOUSE-DEER TALES. 



press himself against it, but slipping down smartly let the 

 stick pierce right into his body so that he died. But Si 

 Plandok leapt out and escaped. 



Then, Mr. Mouse-deer took counsel with himself. " I 

 have many enemies, the crocodile, the deer, the tiger and all 

 the beasts I lured into that pit. What shift is there for me to 

 save myself alive?" And he came to a wild wasps' nest. 

 " Good," said he, "I will bide by this nest." Presently, a tiger 

 found him and asked him his business. " I guard Nabi Sleyman's 

 gong," said the Mouse-deer, pointing to the nest. "May I 

 strike it ? " asked the tiger. " Of all things, I should like to 

 strike it : and, if you let me do so, I win not eat you." "You 

 may," answered the Mouse-deer, " but, with your leave, I will 

 go a long way off first or Nabi Sleyman will be angry. " All 

 right," replied the tiger. Then the Mouse-deer went a long 

 way off till he came to a clump of bamboos : and there he wait- 

 ed. Then, the tiger smote Nabi Sleyman's gong and all the 

 wasps came swarming out and stung him till his face was 

 swollen. So, he bounded away in a rage and went to where the 

 Mouse-deer stood. " Knave, villain," said he, " see my face 

 all swollen. Now I will kill you. But what is this bamboo you 

 are watching ?" " It is Nabi Sleyrnan's viol," said the Mouse- 

 deer, pointing to a slit stem, in which the wind sounded. " How 

 do you play it ?," asked the tiger. "Lick it here with your 

 tongue," said Si Plandok, pointing to the slit. " May I ?," 

 asked the tiger. " Yes," said the Mouse-deer, " but with your 

 leave, I will go a long way off first or Nabi Sleyman will be 

 angry. "All right" said the tiger. Then Mouse-deer went a 

 long way off and stood by some filth. Then the tiger licked 

 the bamboo ; and a gust blew and closed the fissure, so that 

 the end of the tiger's tongue was pinched off : and that is why 

 tigers are short-tongued to this day. So, he bounded away in a 

 rage and went to where the Mouse-deer watched over the filth. 

 " See the hurt you have done me, accursed one," said the 

 tiger, showing his tongue : " now, of a truth, I will slay and eat 

 you. But, first, what is this filth that you guard it?" " It is 

 Nabi SleymarCs nasi Kunyet" said the Mouse-deer. "May I 



Jour. Straits Branch 



