away at that sound—run away for your life!' And the Jackal was so frightened that he ran away. So, he who had deceived so many was outwitted by a simple little kid!
After this the Jackal found his way back to his own village, where the Barber lived, and there for some time he used to prowl round the houses every night, and live upon any bones he could find. The villagers did not like his coming, but did not know how to catch him, until one night his old friend the Barber (who had never forgiven him for stealing the fruit from the garden) caught him in a great net, having before made many unsuccessful attempts to do so. 'Aha!' cried the Barber; 'I've got you at last, my friend. You did not escape death from the cucumber-knife for nothing! you won't get away this time. Here, wife! wife! see what a prize I have got!' The Barber's wife came running to the door; and the Barber gave her the Jackal (after he had tied all his four legs firmly together with a strong rope), and said to her, 'Take this animal into the house, and be sure you don't let him escape, while I fetch a knife to kill him with.' The Barber's wife did as she was bid, and taking the Jackal into the house laid him down on the floor. But no sooner had the Barber gone, than the Jackal said to her, 'Ah, good woman, your husband will return directly and put me to death. For the love of heaven, loosen the rope round my feet before he comes, for one minute only, and let me drink a little water from that puddle by the door, for my throat is parched with thirst.'—'No, no, friend Jackal,' answered the Barber's wife. 'I know well enough what you'll do. No sooner shall I have untied your feet, than you will run away, and when my husband returns and finds you are gone he will beat me.'
'Indeed, indeed, I will not run away,' he replied. 'Ah, kind mother, have pity on me—only for one little moment.' Then the Barber's wife thought, 'Well, it is hard not to grant the poor beast's last request—he will not live long enough to have many more pleasures.' So she untied the Jackal's feet, and held him by a rope, that he might drink from the puddle. But quick as possible, he gave a jump, and a twist, and a pull, and jerking the rope out of her hand escaped once more into the jungle.
For some time he roamed up and down, living on what he could get in this village or that, until he had wandered very far away from the country where the Barber lived. At last one day, by chance, he passed a certain cottage, in which there dwelt a very poor Brahman, who had seven daughters.
