her and
keep her from harm."

They promised to do their best, and started out. All went well until
they came to a river. As there was neither bridge nor boat, there
was no way to cross but to swim.

"Let me take the magic ring," said the dog as they were about to
plunge into the water.

"Oh, no," replied the cat, "the master gave it to me to carry."

"But you cannot swim well," argued the dog. "I am strong and can take
good care of it."

But the cat refused to give up the ring until finally the dog
threatened to kill her, and then she reluctantly gave it to him.

The river was wide and the water so swift that they grew very tired,
and just before they reached the opposite bank the dog dropped
the ring. They searched carefully, but could not find it anywhere,
and after a while they turned back to tell their master of the sad
loss. Just before reaching the house, however, the dog was so overcome
with fear that he turned and ran away and never was seen again.

The cat went on alone, and when the master saw her coming he called
out to know why she had returned so soon and what had become of her
companion. The poor cat was frightened, but as well as she could she
explained how the ring had been lost and how the dog had run away.

On hearing her story the master was very angry, and commanded that all
his people should search for the dog, and that it should be punished
by having its tail cut off.

He also ordered that all the dogs in the world should join in the
search, and ever since when one dog meets another he says: "Are you
the old dog that lost the magic ring? If so, your tail must be cut
off." Then immediately each shows his teeth and wags his tail to
prove that he is not the guilty one.

Since then, too, cats have been afraid of water and will not swim
across a river if they can avoid it.

The Hawk and the Hen

_Visayan_

A hawk flying about in the sky one day decided that he would like to
marry a hen whom he often saw on earth. He flew down and searched
until he found her, and then asked her to become his wife. She at
once gave her consent on the condition that he would wait until she
could grow wings like his, so that she might also fly high. The hawk
agreed to this and flew away, after giving her a ring as an engagement
present and telling her to take good care of it.

The hen was very proud of the ring and placed it around her neck. The
next day, however, she met the cock who looked at her