On hearing this the Monkey chuckled to himself at the simplicity of the Tortoise, and went off to sleep in some other part of the forest. [[147]]
[1] The Monkey’s actual words, I regret to say, cannot be reported verbatim. [↑]
STORY No. XXI.
THE STORY OF ROOM BACHA AND BAKI.
Once upon a time, in the country of Room, there lived a King called Bacha, who, having married a young Princess from a neighbouring kingdom, lived with her for a short time very happily. But it happened that both the King and Queen were of a very argumentative turn of mind, and were constantly disputing with one another about all sorts of trifles, and as neither would ever give way to the other, it generally ended in their quarrelling. The King, who was a proud and head-strong man, was not at all pleased that his wife should venture to maintain her opinion against his, and gradually became very much incensed against her.
One night, as the two were sitting together after dinner, a fox began to bark in the palace grounds outside.
“Ah!” said the King, “do you hear that tiger roaring?”
“My dear,” replied the Queen, “that is not a tiger, it is a fox.”