The Monkey, however, was a good deal too clever to be caught in a simple trap like this. When his usual bedtime arrived, he came to the mouth of the cave and, looking in, he called out in a loud voice:
“Oh, great cave! great cave!”
The Tortoise lay low in his dark corner and gave no sign of life.
After a few moments’ silence the Monkey again called out:
“Oh, great cave! great cave!”
Still the Tortoise lay low and gave no sign.
“Curious thing,” said the Monkey to himself in an audible tone of voice, “very curious! There used always to be an echo in this cave, but I can’t hear the slightest [[146]]echo to-night. There must be something wrong,” and saying this he again called out:
“Oh, great cave! great cave!”
The foolish Tortoise, thinking that if he simulated an echo the Monkey would enter the cave as usual, hereupon gave answer from his dark corner:
“Oh, great cave! great cave!”