The Cairo bulletin., 1905-01-06
eABooN AND TORTOISE.
How Each Animal Played a Trick
Upon the other.

How Each Animal Played a Trick
Upon the other.
An English missionary, writing 10
the London Standard from Africa
tells the following story. which he'says
is a favorite fable among the natives
of the lower Zambezi
In the time long ago & baboon, swing
ing from bough 10 bopgh in the .grent
forest, espled on the ground a tortoise.
Good morning, Friend Tortoise" said
the baboon "For "a long dine I-have
been wishing to make friends with you
Will you come and lave dinner with
me today?" with pleasure" replied
the tortoise as his tlshlike eyes bhnked
up at the great baboon. Il shall be
very glad to make your acquaintance :"
When the tortoise arrived at the
baboon's house. he found the food
spread out upon bamboo platform
raised some two feet above the ground
"Just help yourself to whatever you
like" said the balloon, who com
menced at once TO eat up the good
things spread before him But the
poor little tortoise was unable to reach
the food. as the platform was far
above his head 'rhc greedy baboon
was not long before he hnd eaten up
all the food there was, Then he turned
TO the tortoise with a grin, and said
Il hope you have enjoyed your dinner.
Friend Tortoise. You do not seem to
have very large appetite THANK
YOU" replied the tortoise, II am salts
fed Pray come and dine with rae TO-
morrow and give me an opportunity OF
repaying your kindness" The greedy
baboon, allured with the hope Of an
other meal, said he would come
Soon the tortoise took his departure
and on the way home revolvcd "a his
mind a plan of rcYenge for the insult
the. baboon had put upon him. Now,
the home Of the tortoise was near the
river, and the first thing be did when
he got to his house was to set fire TO the
grass growing along the bank. so that
when the fire had spent itself there was
q long stretch Of blackened stubble.
On the morrow, whcngthe babo0n ar
rived, he found u mat spread on the
ground. on which were savory articles
Of food. 81 am SO glad TO see YOU"
said the tortoise. "Dinner Is quite
ready, as you see. VIII you just run
down to The river and wash your hands
before we begin to eat?'
Away ran the baboon, his mouth wa.
terlng at the thought of the good things
be had seen. When he had washed his
hands. he started back again across the
patch Of burned grass But as he ran
along on all fours he soon found that
the burned grass made his hands as
dirty as they were before. II cannot
go to dinner with black hands Ike
these" he thought. So he returned to
wash them second time Then again
he attempted to cross the burned grass,
but with no better success than before.
After washing his hands for the third
time he sat down 10 consider how be
was to return TO the tortoise's house
without getting his hands black The
only way seemed to be to follow the
banks of the river until he reached the
end of the burned patch. This he set
out TO do and mt last. tired and hungry.
reached the home Of the tortoise.
When he got there. he found. to his
establishment. that the tortoise was just
eating the last piece Of food. Hello
exclaimed bis host. Where have you
been all this time? | waited a long
while for you: but. as you did not re
turn. l thought that vpu must have
been dissatisfied with tie food that you
saw and so had gone back TO your own
home again. Now | have eaten il al
myself and have nothing left in the
house TO offer you. ] hope you viii not
feel any more hungry when You get
home than / did when returned frmn
your home yesterday. Then the bab. /
Don went OF. much annoyed that the
tables had been so eleyerly turned On
himself.