Accordingly Mr. Jackal went up on the roof, while his family settled down to sleep in the snuggest corner of the Tiger’s den. Shortly after Father Jackal heard a slight crackling amongst the dry leaves of the forest; and in the dim morning light he discerned the form of a great Tiger approaching his den through the tree-stems.
According to the arrangement he had made, he rapped with a loose stone upon the roof of the den, and Mrs. Jackal immediately woke up the young Jackals and made them cry.
“What are those children crying about?” called out Father Jackal.
“They are very hungry, and getting impatient for their supper,” was the reply.
“Tell them they won’t have long to wait now,” said Father Jackal; “the Tiger will probably be home very soon, and we shall all be eating hot Tiger’s meat before long.”
On hearing this the Tiger was very much alarmed, and thought to himself:
“What kind of strange animal can this be which has [[78]]entered my den, and is waiting to cook and eat me on my return; it must certainly be a very fierce and terrible creature.”
So without waiting to investigate the matter any further, he turned tail and ran off as fast as he could through the forest. After running some way, he came across an old Baboon, with a great fringe of white hair all round his face.
“Where are you running to, Uncle Tiger?” asked the Baboon.
“Well,” said the Tiger, “the fact is, that a family of strange animals, who call themselves Jackals, are at this moment in occupation of my den. As I was approaching my den, after a long night’s hunting, one of the creatures was actually sitting on the roof, looking out for me, and as I got close up I heard him tell his young ones that they were to have hot Tiger’s meat for supper. Fortunately for me, he hadn’t seen me, so I thought the best thing I could do was to make off as fast as I could, in order to avoid being eaten.”