Then the two bade each other good-by.
Years passed by. As the fighting ichneumon became older, his warfare upon the snakes became less and less fierce, for he was less nimble and was growing stiff in his movements. He had to content himself with killing rats, mice, and other small animals.
Often when he saw a snake the remembrance of his former attacks upon them came back to him, and several times he felt tempted to renew the conflict with them, but he did not give way to his inclination, for he had become prudent.
But one day he felt particularly well, and more nimble than usual. As he was seeking for a meal, he saw a long slender snake of the worst kind.
The snake, as he was crawling along, had also seen the ichneumon. All at once he stopped and coiled himself up for self-protection and fight if attacked.
The ichneumon, at the sight of the snake, forgot his old age and his stiffness; the memory of his past conflicts with snakes came back to him, and he ran to attack the creature he hated so much.
The snake reared his head and neck, leaving a large part of his body coiled, so that he could spring upon his antagonist at the proper time, if he had a chance; his tongue protruded, and he hissed as his enemy came near.
The ichneumon used his old tactics, went quickly round and round the snake, to bewilder him. The snake was filled with fear, and hissed continuously. But though the tactics of the ichneumon were those of the days of old, his movements were much slower, and he was not equal to the conflict, though he thought he was. Suddenly, like a flash, the snake darted upon him and coiled himself round his body. His coils were so close that he crushed the life out of the ichneumon, and then, at his leisure, swallowed him.
CHAPTER XXVII
THE IBOBOTI, OR SPIDER
A big yellow and black spotted iboboti, with a body as large as a sparrow’s egg, and with very strong long legs, who was much given to philosophic reflection, said one day to himself: “Our kin is very numerous. We spiders are of many kinds, of different shapes and sizes, and of varied colors. We also lead different lives. Some of us like to live in the sun, others in the shade; some in the forest, others in houses of human beings. Strange to say, there are some of us who live in burrows. Some of our kin are day spiders; others belong to the night. Some make webs to entrap their prey; others do not. Some have short legs, others very long ones; the latter spin webs. We are all very voracious and spring upon our prey with great fury. We are brave; if we were not, we should starve.”