“Yes, let us go home,” agreed the ape. “There is no use trying to do anything if the bear has to chase every fish he meets, regardless of the importance of his mission. And we have done enough for the man as it is.”
“Don’t, don’t talk like that!” cried the little mouse. “You both know as well as I that we can never repay the man’s kindness to us! Come, let us plan! There must be a way!” She walked up and down [[160]]the shore, thinking. “I have it!” she cried at last.
“What?” said both the others, interested in spite of themselves.
“You watch me and do just as I tell you,” said she, and began crying in a loud voice and running to and fro upon the river bank.
At the sound of her outcry, the frogs that live at the bottom of the river came to the surface to learn what the matter was. When a great crowd of them had collected, the little mouse called out:
“Quick, friends, quick! Before it is too late! The pebbles on your river bed have been cursed, and the curse is about to fall upon you! We have come to your aid. Hand us all the pebbles at the bottom of the river, and we will throw them all away. Hurry and do as we bid you!”
The frogs, who were a silly, credulous people, hastened to do as the mouse told them. Diving down to the river bottom they fetched the pebbles, one after another, [[161]]and handed them to their supposed preserver, who gave them to the ape and the bear, bidding them fling the cursed things away. More and more frogs gathered for the task and brought up stones in countless numbers. At last one came, bringing the precious, blue talisman, and when the little mouse had got hold of it, she signalled to her friends to stop their work. With a gesture, she made the frogs stand still and in a solemn voice she cried:
“It is enough! The curse is lifted from the river and its people! You have worked well and saved yourselves (and us) much sorrow. Go now and live in peace!”
The frogs murmured among themselves, being much puzzled by the whole performance, but the bear, the ape and the little mouse paused not to listen. Quickly they started across the river, the ape on the bear’s back, the little mouse, still clutching the talisman, on the shoulder of the ape. In this manner they reached the island in safety and there they found—— [[162]]
The Siddhi-kur paused and bit into a mango which he had brought with him, munching in silence for some time.