But all this time there was a great deal of fruit in the garden; and the Jackal went there every day, and ate as much as he could.
Again, a third time, when some weeks had passed, the Barber said to him,' Is there no ripe fruit in our garden yet?' 'No,' said the Jackal; 'the blossoms have only just fallen; but the fruit is forming. In time we shall have a fine show of melons and figs there.' 'Then the Barber began to think the Jackal was deceiving him, and determined to see and judge for himself. So next day, without saying anything about it, he followed him down to the garden.
Now it happened that very day the Jackal had invited all his friends to come and feast there. All the animals in the neighbouring jungle had accepted the invitation; there they came trooping by hundreds and dozens, and were very merry indeed running here and there, and eating all the melons, and cucumbers, and figs, and pumpkins in the place.
The Barber peeped over the hedge, and saw the assembled wild beasts, and his friend the Jackal entertaining them—talking to this one, laughing with that, and eating with all. The good man did not dare to attack the intruders, as they were many and powerful. But he went home at once, very angry, muttering to himself, 'I'll be the death of that young jackanapes; he shall play no more pranks in my garden.' And watching his opportunity, he returned there when the Jackal and all his friends had left, and tied a long knife to the largest of the cucumbers that still remained; then he went home, and said nothing of what he had seen.
Early next morning the Jackal thought to himself, 'I'll just run down to the garden and see if there are no cucumbers or melons left.' So he went there, and picking out the largest of the cucumbers, began to eat it. Quick as thought the long knife, that was concealed by the cucumber leaves, ran into him, cutting his muzzle, his neck, and his side.
'Ah! that nasty Barber!' he cried; 'this must be his doing!' And, instead of going home, he ran as fast as he could, very far away into the jungle, and stretching himself out on a great flat rock prepared to die.
But he did not die. Only for three whole days the pain in his neck and side was so great that he could not move; moreover, he felt very weak from loss of blood.
At the end of the third day he tried to get up; but his own
