"Just another new law of the jungle," said the Jackal. "This new law says that such meat must be put upon a high stone tower where the sun's rays may strike it. Then all may eat it unharmed." "Oh, Brother Jackal," said the Lion, "how can I ever pay you for saving my head and voice?" "In this way," replied the Jackal. "According to the law, my wife and children must be masons upon the wall, and you and yours must hand up the stones; and you see there are plenty of them about here. Of course, I remain on the ground to direct. I have told my wife and children, and they are coming. You go and bring yours." "That suits me quite well," said the Lion. "I'll be back with mine in a short while." When the Lion and his family had returned, the Jackal and his family had eaten half of the elephant and were dancing. "You little rascal!" roared the Lion, "have you deceived me again?" "Not a bit of it," replied the Jackal. "See that little bird lying dead there? That is the messenger of the new laws. By accident I killed it. The new law requires that the one who kills such a bird, and his family, must eat half the meat present as a punishment; and such a punishment as it has been! But for this new dance my wife invented we should all be dead. This means that you would be dead, too. The life of the Jackal in such a case goes into the bird. It becomes ten times as powerful as a Lion and kills everyone it meets. See?" "I do," replied the Lion, "and thanks again for my head and voice. Let me remind you, Brother Jackal, that my wife and family are not likely to die at present from over-eating." "Let me remind you, Brother Lion, that one more speech like that from you will put life into that bird, and you will never eat another dinner." "Thanks, Brother Jackal, for your wisdom and kindness. Let's build the tower." In a short time the tower was erected. "How are we to get the meat up?" asked the Lion. "Oh," said the Jackal, "my wife, who invented the dance, has invented a rope to pull the meat up with." "I am glad to hear that, Brother Jackal," said the Lion, "for my wife, who is rather dull, may learn many things from yours." "Brother Lion," said the Jackal, "when a Lion passes a compliment like that upon a Jackal's wife he had better roar it far and wide, or he will be counted a flatterer, and flattery puts life into that little bird." The Lion roared the compliment until every beast in the jungle heard it. The Jackal's wife and children let down the rope and pulled the meat up. "Brother Lion, there is one precaution we must take. That little bird lying there must never be allowed to come back to life, and there is but one way to do it." "Brother Jackal, pray what is that?" "Pick up that rock lying there by the bird. When my wife has pulled me to the top of the tower, throw it to me. If I catch it, the bird is dead forever. We will then pull you and your family up, and what a feasting there will be!"