“‘What are you doing?’ called the first one.
“Hunting Ostriches,’ said the next, and so it went on all round the circle again, one calling to the other.
“The Ostriches could see nothing. They could only hear voices calling. They looked at each other and said, ‘What are these voices? It is surely a great army come to hunt us. Let us get away.’
“They were very frightened and began to run, and as far as they ran they heard:—
“‘Are you there?’
“‘I am here.’
“‘What are you doing?’
“‘Hunting Ostriches.’
“So it went on, over and over again. The Tortoises never moved, only kept calling out. And the Ostriches ran faster and faster, all in the round, till at last they were so tired they couldn’t run any more. First one fell, and then another, and another, and another, till there were heaps of them lying about, and just where they fell they lay quite still. They were too tired to move.
