The father Jackal bowed very low.

　　Then what did those cunning little Jackals do but take hold of hands and run up towards the Lion, as if they had meant  to come all the time.  When he saw them coming he stood up, and roared in a terrible voice,--

　　"You miserable little wretches, come here and be eaten, at once!  Why didn't you come before?"

　　The father Jackal bowed very low.

　　"Indeed, Father Lion," he said, "we meant to come before; we knew we ought to come before; and we wanted to come before; but every time we started to come, a dreadful great lion came out of the woods and roared at us, and frightened us so that we ran away."

　　"What do you mean?" roared the Lion. "There's no other lion in this jungle, and you know it!"

　　"Indeed, indeed, Father Lion," said the little Jackal, "I know that is what everybody thinks; but indeed and indeed there is another lion!  And he is as much bigger than you as you are bigger than I!  His face is much more terrible, and his roar far, far more dreadful.  Oh, he is far more fearful than you!"

　　At that the Lion stood up and roared so that the jungle shook.

　　"Take me to this lion," he said; "I'll eat him up and then I'll eat you up."

　　The little Jackals danced on ahead, and the Lion stalked behind.  They led him to a place where there was a round, deep well of clear water.  They went round on one side of it, and the Lion stalked up to the other.

　　"He lives down there, Father Lion!" said the little Jackal.  "He lives down there!"

　　The Lion came close and looked down into the water,--and a lion's face looked back at him out of the water!