Tiger and Zebra made believe that they were very awkward. They were all the time catching Little Monkey around the neck until his head was under water. Then when he came up again with his ears and mouth all streaming, they would say: “Noble Little Monkey, you have just saved our lives.” They even got a little fish to swim under Little Monkey and bite his toes. Little Monkey pretended not to be angry. All the time, though, he was vexed, and he made up his mind that he would pay back Tiger and Zebra for the mean way in which they were treating him. He was all tired out, yet he kept swimming, for he saw that something was happening which would give him a fine revenge.
Tiger and Zebra run away ashamed.
“Tiger,” he said, “if you would keep your mouth from being open so much, and Zebra, if you would not splash with your feet, you both would become very fine swimmers. Don’t bother to take off your bathing suits. Just sit in the sun and when I teach Antelope how to dive I’ll give you another lesson.”
So Tiger and Zebra sat in the sun and told the other animals about the great fun which they had had with Little Monkey.
Then they found somebody else to make fun for them. Leopard, who was all spotted, came down to the beach.
“Ho, ho,” laughed Tiger, “did you ever see an animal in a polka dot skin?”
“He, he, isn’t he gaily dressed,” neighed the Zebra, as he grinned and looked around at the other animals.