The Tortoise said to him: “Go and get some leaves upon which we can cut up the meat.” But while the Jackal went for the leaves the Tortoise ran away with the meat to his hole in the rock.
The Jackal, on his return, called out: “Uncle Tortoise, here are the leaves;” but the Tortoise rudely cut him short by asking him: “Am I a relative on your mother’s side or your father’s?”
The Jackal, angry at this insult, cried out: “I will let off your trap;” and the Tortoise replied: “Touch the spring with your head, for if you put in either your arm or your leg you will die.”
So the stupid Jackal put his head into the trap and was caught, and when he cried out with pain the Tortoise took his gun and shot him. In this way the Civet-cat, the Fox, the rock Rabbit, and the Palm-rat were all caught and killed by the Tortoise.
One day the Gazelle heard the Tortoise crying, and went and asked him why he was crying, and the Tortoise said: “Since early morning an animal has been lying dead in my trap because I have no one to take it out for me.”
“But who set your trap for you?” asked the Gazelle.
He replied: “A passer-by set it for me.”
“All right,” kindly said the Gazelle, “I’ll take it out for you”; which he did at once, and setting the trap again he dragged the animal to the Tortoise.
“Get some plantain leaves that we may divide the meat,” said the Tortoise; but while he was gone the Tortoise took all the meat to his hole.
The Gazelle, on returning, called out: “Uncle Tortoise, here are the leaves,” but the Tortoise laughingly asked him: “Is the Tortoise a relative on your mother’s side, or your father’s?”