the Tortoise swam across. When they got across, the
Tortoise was quite tired, because the Jackal was very heavy for a
Tortoise to carry.

A fine time the Jackal had on the further side of the river. He ran
about among the fields, and ate melons till he was nearly bursting.
Every day the Tortoise came to the bank, asking whether the match was
yet arranged, and every day the Jackal told him that all was going well.
"You have no notion how pleased they are," said the Jackal. "Just see
how fat I am getting. They feed me like a fighting-cock, all because of
you." It was indeed because of the Tortoise that the Jackal was so well
fed, but not as he meant it.

By-and-by the season of melons came to an end, and all that the Jackal
had left were cut and sold in the market. Melons were dear that season,
because the Jackal had eaten so many of them before they could be cut.
Then the Jackal stole a white dress and a veil, and hung them on the
stump of a tree which stood near the river side; and next day, when the
Tortoise popped his funny head out of the water, said the Jackal--

"There's your wife at last, old Shelly! There she stands, dumb as a
stone. Not a word will she have to say to you till I am out of the way,
because she is too modest. Come, hurry up, Shell-fish, and take me
across."

The Tortoise was angry at being called a shell-fish, because tortoises
are not fish at all, and they feel insulted if you call them so.
However, he was so glad to get a wife at last, that he said nothing,
only presented his back for the Jackal to jump on. Flop! came the
Jackal, so heavy by this time that it was all the Tortoise could do to
get him across safely. If he was tired before, he was nearly dead now.
But he swam across at last; and the Jackal ran off into the forest,
chuckling at the simplicity of the poor Tortoise.

Back went our Tortoise across the river, and climbed up on the bank.

"Wife!" he called out, in a tender voice.

No answer.

Again he called "Wife!" but still no answer.

He could not make it out a bit. He crawled up to the stump which the
Jackal had decked out in wedding finery, and put out his flapper to
touch his wife's hand: lo and behold, it was only an old tree-stump.

The rage of the Tortoise knew no bounds, and he determined to have his
revenge.

Next day the Jackal came down to drink at the river. The Tortoise was
watching for him under water; and while the Jackal was drinking, the
Tortoise nipped h