I would not think of
disturbing you."
Just then, the little Gingerbread Boy
came to a river. He could not swim across,
and he wanted to keep running away from
the cow and the horse and the people.
"Jump on my tail, and I will take you
across," said the fox.
So the little Gingerbread Boy jumped on
the fox's tail, and the fox swam into the
river. When he was a little way from shore
he turned his head, and said, "You are too
heavy on my tail, little Gingerbread Boy,
I fear I shall let you get wet; jump on my
back."
The little Gingerbread Boy jumped on
his back.
A little farther out, the fox said, "I am
afraid the water will cover you, there; jump
on my shoulder."
The little Gingerbread Boy jumped on
his shoulder.
In the middle of the stream the fox said,
"Oh, dear! little Gingerbread Boy, my
shoulder is sinking; jump on my nose,
and I can hold you out of water."
So the little Gingerbread Boy jumped
on his nose.
The minute the fox got on shore he
threw back his head, and gave a snap!
"Dear me!" said the little Gingerbread
Boy, "I am a quarter gone!" The next
minute he said, "Why, I am half gone!"
The next minute he said, "My goodness
gracious, I am three quarters gone!"
And after that, the little Gingerbread
Boy never said anything more at all.
THE LITTLE JACKALS AND THE LION[1]
[1] The four stories of the little Jackal, in this book, are
adapted from stories in Old Deccan Days, a collection of orally
transmitted Hindu folk tales, which every teacher would gain by
knowing.
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