there to drink. Half-a-Cock jumped on his
back, stole one of his hairs, which it put under its wing and resumed its
journey. It proceeded until evening and stopped under a tree to pass the
night there. It had not rested long when it saw a lion pass near the tree
where it was lying. As soon as it perceived the lion it jumped on its back
and stole one of its hairs, which it put with that of the jackal. The next
morning it got up early and took up its journey again. Arrived at the
middle of a forest, it met a boar and said:

"Give me a hair from your back, as the king of the animals and the
trickiest of them have done--the jackal and the lion."

The boar answered, "As these two personages so important among the animals
have done this, I will also give you what you request." He plucked a hair
from his back and gave it to Half-a-Cock. The latter went on his way and
arrived at the palace of a king. It began to crow and to say:

"To-morrow the King will die, and I will take his wife."

Hearing these words the King gave to his negroes the command to seize
Half-a-Cock, and cast him into the middle of the sheep and goat-pen to be
trampled upon and killed by them, so that the King might get rid of his
crowing. The negroes seized him and cast him into the pen to perish. When
he got there Half-a-Cock took from under his wing the jackal's hair and
burnt it in the fire. As soon as it was near the fire the jackal came and
said:

"Why are you burning my hair? As soon as I smelled it, I came running."

Half-a-Cock replied, "You see what situation I am in. Get me out of it."

"That is an easy thing," said the jackal, and immediately blowed in order
to summon his brothers. They gathered around him, and he gave them this
command: "My brothers, save me from Half-a-Cock, for it has a hair from my
back which it has put in the fire. I don't want to burn. Take Half-a-Cock
out of the sheep-pen, and you will be able to take my hair from its hands."
At once the jackals rushed to the pen, strangled everything that was there,
and rescued Half-a-Cock. The next day the King found his stables deserted
and his animals killed. He sought for Half-a-Cock, but in vain. The latter,
the next day at the supper hour, began to crow as it did the first time.
The prince called his negroes and said to them:

"Seize Half-a-Cock and cast him into the cattle-yard so that it may be
crushed under their feet."

The negroes caught Half-a-Cock and threw him into the