Page:Tales of the Punjab.pdf/253

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

THE JACKAL AND THE CROCODILE at

‘Unless what?’ asked the Jackal persuasively.

‘Unless we were going to be married!’ simpered Miss Crocodile.

‘And why shouldn't we be married, my charmer ?’ returned the Jackal eagerly. ‘I would go and fetch the barber to begin the betrothals at once, but I am so faint with hunger just at present that I should never reach the village. Now, if the most adorable of her sex would only take pity on her slave, and carry me over the stream, I might refresh myself with those plums, and so gain strength to accomplish the ardent desire of my heart !’

Here the Jackal sighed so pitcously, and cast such sheep’s-eyes at Miss Crocodile, that she was unable to withstand him. So she carried him across to the plum-tree, and then sat on the water's edge to think over her wedding dress, while Mr. Jackal feasted on the plums, and enjoyed himself.

‘Now for the barber, my beauty!’ cried the gay Jackal, when he had eaten as much as he could. Then the blushing Miss Crocodile carried him back again, and bade him be quick about his business, like a dear good creature, for really she felt so flustered at the very idea that she didn’t know what mightn’t happen.

‘Now, don’t distress yourself, my dear!’ guoth the deceitful Mr. Jackal, springing to the banks, ‘because it’s not impossible that | may not find the barber, and then, you know, you may have to wait some time, a considerable time in fact, before I return. So don’t injure your health for my sake, if you please’

With that he blew her a kiss, and trotted away with his tail up.

This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.