ect herself. But, Rabbit, you who are always wise, tell
me how I may avenge myself?"

"There is only one way that I know of," answered Rabbit, dubiously. "Go
to the Soko (Gorilla?), but he is a hard dealer who will make you pay
handsomely for his help. Soko is the king of the ape kind. If you pay
him well, he will fasten a cord to Crane's nest, up which you can climb
when she is absent. Once there, lie quietly, and when she alights seize
her."

The plan pleased Terrapin immensely, and possessing a comfortable
property upon the loss of his mother, he thought he had sufficient to
purchase Soko's assistance.

Through the good offices of Rabbit negotiations were entered into with
Soko, who agreed for a potful of good nuts, ten bunches of ripe bananas,
one hundred eggs, and sundry other trifles, to hang a stout rattan
climber to Crane's nest, long enough to reach the ground.

The royal bird was soon informed of the conspiracy against her by the
Parrot, who loves to carry tales, and Miss Crane resolved to be absent
from home while Soko was fastening the climber, but commissioned her
friend the Parrot to observe the proceedings, and to report to her when
Soko had completed his task.

Soko performed his part expeditiously. Terrapin tested the strength of
the rattan, and had to confess that Soko had earned his pay, and Rabbit
accompanied Terrapin and Soko to Terrapin's house to see the Soko
receive his commission.

As they departed Parrot flew to inform Miss Crane, who immediately
returned to her house to await her enemy.

Not long after Terrapin came to the foot of Crane's tree and commenced
to climb up. He had nearly reached the top when Miss Crane stood up and
delivered such a thwacking blow on Terrapin's back that it caused him to
loose his hold and fall to the ground. When Terrapin recovered his
senses, he heard Miss Crane cry out--

"Ha! brother Terrapin, that was a nasty fall. You remember the rubber,
don't you? There is nothing like the advice you gave me. Try again,
Terrapin, my brother. Try again."

"You killed my ma, did you not?" asked Terrapin.

"I thought you told me that you had killed her according to agreement.
Then how can you say that I killed her?" asked Miss Crane.

"That was not my ma I gave you. It was only a lump of rubber."

"Ho, ho! You confess it then? Well, we are now quits. You induced me
to kill my ma, and as you could not keep your part of the bargain, I
saved you the