SOME MOUSE-DEER TALES. 67 



eat it ?," said the tiger. " Of all things, I should like to eat 

 it : and if you let me do so, I will not kill you." "You may," 

 said the Mouse-deer, " and perhaps it will cure your tongue : but 

 first, let me go a long way off or Nabi Sleyman may be angry 

 with me." "All right," said the tiger. And Mr. Mouse-deer 

 went a long way off and stood by a coiled snake. Then the 

 tiger tasted the filth. "Why is it so bitter?", said 

 he : " beast, this is not rice but filth only." And he 

 rushed in a rage to where the Mouse-deer waited. " Now, in- 

 deed your hour has come," said the tiger : " make ready to die. 

 But, first, what is this you are guarding," and he looked at the 

 coiled snake. " This is Nabi Sleyman 1 s turban," said the 

 Mouse-deer. "May I wear it?", asked the tiger: "of all 

 things I should like to put it on : and if you let me do so, perhaps 

 I may spare your life." "You may put it on," said the Mouse- 

 deer " but first let me go a long way off or Nabi Sleyman may 

 be angry with me." "All right," said the tiger. Then the 

 Mouse-deer went a long way off and, looked on gleefully. So, 

 the tiger began to unwind the coils but the snake awoke, his 

 tongue darting like flame, and fought with the tiger and over- 

 came him and killed him. " Ha ! ha ! ", laughed the Mouse- 

 deer and went on his way, up hill and down dale, by jungle and 

 by plain, till he was hungry. Then he came to a cucumber 

 garden and nibbled all the cucumbers. So, the gardener was 

 angry and took paint, dry cocoanut husks and old clouts and 

 made a scarecrow and smeared it with the gutta of the jack-fruit 

 tree. "What is this ?" said the Mouse-deer, returning to his feed- 

 ing ground : " a man, or a doll ? Only a doll, I declare." And he 

 poked it with his foreleg. But his leg struck fast in the gutta, 

 " It's alive, after all, and it wants to fight. I'll kick it hard." 

 Another leg stuck fast. " Oh ! it's only a wretched doll but it 

 has strong glue." And he kicked with his hind legs also, till 

 all four legs were stuck fast. Then the Mouse-deer wept and 

 called for help. And the bird Ketopok flew down and offered 

 to release him but warned him it would be a dirty job. " Never 

 mind that," said the Mouse -deer, " so long as I get free." So, 

 the Ketopok covered him all over with bird-lime. By and bye, 



E. A. Soc, No. 45, 1906. 



