shall go in search of them.” So the rabbit went away and found monkeys spinning their tops, saying, “Go! Go!” But the rabbit said, “Yes, nonsense, but you should say, ‘I have killed a lion and taken off his skin.’” The monkeys said, “Yes, very good,” and the rabbit left the monkeys repeating these words. He himself went back and met the lioness, and said, “The children were killed by these monkeys.” So the lioness said, “Deceive them, saying that we will do trade in tops.” So the rabbit went back to the monkeys, and said, “Let us deal in these tops.” So they said, “With what goods?” And the rabbit said, “With beans.” Then the monkeys said, “Well, bring them that we may buy.” So the rabbit went back and told all to the lioness, who said, “Weave a basket and tie me into it.” And the rabbit wove a basket, tied in the lioness, and put a few beans on top, lifted the basket, and departed. When he arrived at their courtyard he found the monkeys spinning their tops. So he called out, “I have brought that merchandise.” And they replied, “We shall buy it.” Just then a monkey sent his top spinning, saying, “I have killed a lion’s cub and have taken off its skin.” So the rabbit whispered to the lioness, “Listen, those fellows killed the children;” then to the monkeys, “Let us go and sell in this house.” Then the rabbit took a knife and cut the ropes that held the lioness, who sprang out upon the poor monkeys and killed them all. But the rabbit went for his skins and took them home and wore them. THE STORY OF THE TORTOISE AND THE MONKEY Once a tortoise and a monkey made friends, and the monkey said to the tortoise, “Friend Tortoise, come to my home and visit.” So the tortoise went and the monkey cooked food for him, but, wishing to play a trick on him, placed it on a high platform which the tortoise could not possibly reach up to. Then he called the tortoise, saying, “Friend Tortoise, go into the house and eat.” When the tortoise went in expecting a feast he found the food so high up that he could not reach it. So he came out very angry, and said, “Friend Monkey, you have been insolent to me.” So he went home, and brooded over the insult for three days. Then he sent a messenger to invite the monkey to his home, saying to himself, “Yon monkey was cheeky to me, I also will be cheeky to him.” So when the monkey came he found food already cooked and eyed it greedily. But the tortoise said, “Friend Monkey, there is no water in the house, go down to the stream and wash your hands.” So the monkey went down through the burned grass and washed his hands in anticipation of the feast. But in coming back from the stream he had to pass again through the burned grass and his hands were as black as ever. So seeing through the tortoise’s cunning he got angry, and said, “My friend has played a trick on me,” and departed to his own home. CHAPTER X FINGER RHYMES AND RIDDLES