The Story of the Mouse-Deer and other Animals who went out Fishing.
Once upon a time the Mouse-Deer, accompanied by many other animals, went on a fishing expedition. All day long they fished, and in the evening returned to the little hut that they had put up by the river-side, salted the fish that they had caught, and stored it up in their jars. They noticed that somehow or other their fish disappeared day by day, and the animals held a council to decide what it was best to do. After some discussion the Deer said he would stay behind while the others went out to fish, so that he might catch the thief.
“I shall be able to master him, whoever he is,” said the Deer. “If he refuses to do what I wish, I shall soon punish him with my sharp horns.”
So the others went out fishing, leaving the Deer at home. Soon he heard the tramp of someone coming to the foot of the steps leading up into the hut, calling out:
“Is anyone at home?”
“I am here,” said the Deer. Looking out, he saw a great Giant, and his heart failed him. He wished he had asked one of his companions to stay at home with him.
“I smell some fish,” said the Giant. “I want some, and I must have it. I am hungry. Let me have what I want.”
“It does not belong to me,” said the Deer in great fear. “It belongs to the Pig, the Bear, the Tiger, and the Mouse-Deer. They would punish me severely if I gave any of it to you.”
“Don’t talk to me in that way. If you do not let me have what I want, I will eat you up,” said the Giant.
The Deer was too much awed by his visitor to attack the Giant, so he let him eat the fish and take some away with him.
When his companions returned, the Deer gave them his account of the Giant’s visit. They blamed him for his cowardice, and the Wild Boar said he would keep watch the next day.
“If the Giant comes,” said he, “I will gore him with my tusks and trample him underfoot.”
But he fared no better than the Deer, for when he saw the Giant, who threatened to kill him if he refused to give him some fish, he was afraid, and let him take as much as he wanted.
Great was the disgust of the others to find on their return that their fish had again been stolen.
“Let me watch,” said the Bear. “No Giant shall frighten me. I will hug him in my arms and scratch him with my sharp claws.”
So Bruin was left in charge the next day, while the others went out to fish.
Soon he heard the Giant, who came to the foot of the steps and shouted: “Hullo! who’s there?”
“I am,” said the Bear. “Who are you, and what do you want?”
“I can smell some nice fish, and I am hungry, and want some.”
“I cannot let you have any,” said the Bear. “It does not belong to me.”
“Let me have some at once,” said the Giant in a voice of thunder, “before I kill and eat you.”
The Bear was too much frightened to interfere while the Giant ransacked the jars. When he had had enough, he bade the Bear “Good-bye” and went off.
On the return of the other animals, the Tiger said he would put a stop to this state of things. He would stay at home the next day and keep watch. It would have to be a very strong Giant indeed that would dare to fight him.
The Giant paid his visit as before, and when he found the Tiger at home, he said that he was hungry, and asked for some fish. At first the Tiger refused to give any to him, but when he saw his formidable enemy he was afraid, and let him have as much as he wanted.
On their return again the animals found their fish had been stolen.
Then the Mouse-Deer spoke. “I see,” he said, “that it is no use depending on you others. You boast, but when the time comes for action, you have no courage. I will stay at home and secure this Giant that you speak of.”
When his companions had gone away the next morning, the Mouse-Deer put a bandage round his forehead and lay down.
Soon came the Giant, and shouted: “Who’s there?”
“Only me,” said the Mouse-Deer, groaning with pain. “Come up, whoever you may be.”
The Giant climbed up the rickety steps, and saw the Mouse-Deer lying with his head bandaged.
“What is the matter with you?” asked the Giant.
“I have a headache,” was the answer.
“Whatever has given you the headache?” asked the Giant.
“Can’t you guess?” said the Mouse-Deer. “It is the smell of this fish in these jars. It is so strong it is enough to make anyone ill. Don’t you feel ill yourself?”
“I think I do,” said the Giant. “Cannot you give me some medicine?”
“I have no medicine with me,” said the Mouse-Deer, “but I can bandage you, as I have done myself, and it is sure to do you good.”
“Thank you,” said the Giant. “It is good of you to take the trouble to cure me.”
So the Giant lay down as he was bid, while the Mouse-Deer bandaged his head, and fastened the ends of the bandage to pegs which he drove in the ground under the open flooring of the hut.
“Don’t you feel a little pain in your ankles?” anxiously suggested the Mouse-Deer.
“I think I do,” said the foolish Giant. “Suppose you bandage them, too.”
So the Mouse-Deer, chuckling to himself, bandaged his ankles, and made them fast to the floor of the hut.
“Do you not feel the pain in your legs?” asked the Mouse-Deer.
“I think I do,” was the foolish Giant’s reply.
So the Mouse-Deer bandaged his legs and made them secure, so that the Giant was quite unable to move.
By this time the Giant began to feel uneasy, and trying to get up, and finding himself securely bound, he struggled and roared in pain and anger.
The little Mouse-Deer sat before him and laughed, and said:
“You were a match for the Deer, the Pig, the Bear, and the Tiger, but you are defeated by me. Don’t make so much noise, or I shall drive a peg through your temples and kill you.”
Just then the others returned from their fishing. Great was their joy to find their enemy securely bound. With cries of triumph they fell upon the Giant and killed him, and praised the Mouse-Deer for his cleverness in securing him.