Answer:
The Jackal and the Partridge
Flora Annie SteelAugust 2, 2015
Indian
Easy
7 min read
Add to FAVs
A A A
Download PDF Share to Twitter Email
AJackal and a Partridge swore eternal friendship; but the Jackal was very exacting and jealous. ‘You don’t do half as much for me as I do for you,’ he used to say, ‘and yet you talk a great deal of your friendship. Now my idea of a friend is one who is able to make me laugh or cry, give me a good meal, or save my life if need be. You couldn’t do that!’
‘Let us see,’ answered the Partridge; ‘follow me at a little distance, and if I don’t make you laugh soon you may eat me!’
So she flew on till she met two travellers trudging along, one behind the other. They were both footsore and weary, and the first carried his bundle on a stick over his shoulder, while the second had his shoes in his hand.
Lightly as a feather the Partridge settled on the first traveller’s stick. He, none the wiser, trudged on, but the second traveller, seeing the bird sitting so tamely just in front of his nose, said to himself,
‘What a chance for a supper!’ and immediately flung his shoes at it, they being ready to hand. Whereupon the Partridge flew away, and the shoes knocked off the first traveller’s turban.
‘What a plague do you mean?’ cried he, angrily turning on his companion. ‘Why did you throw your shoes at my head?’
[Illustration: The second traveler preparing to fling his shoe at the partridge]
‘Brother!’ replied the other mildly, ‘do not be vexed. I didn’t throw them at you, but at a Partridge that was sitting on your stick.’
Explanation:
