But the Jackal did not lie down. He was in a hurry to go home, now that he had eaten all the crabs he wanted. So he said: “I do not want to wait here. I know a little song I can sing that will make that Camel hurry.”
So he began to sing. Of course, the Camel did not pay any attention, but the farmer heard, as the Jackal knew he would, and came running out with sticks to chase the Jackal. But the Jackal hid in the high cane, and the farmer could not find him. He did find the Camel, however, and called to his boys, and they beat the Camel with sticks and drove him out of the cane.
When the farmer and his boys had gone, the Jackal came out of the cane and found the Camel lying on the sand bruised with the beating he had gotten.
“Oh, friend,” he exclaimed, “where have you been? I have been hunting for you in the cane.”
“Do not call me friend,” said the Camel. “Why did you sing that song that made the farmer come out and beat me?”
“Oh,” said the Jackal, “did the farmer come out and beat you? That is too bad. But I always sing a song after dinner.”
“Ah, do you?” said the Camel. “I did not know that. Very well. Let us go home. Climb up while I am lying down.”
So the Jackal climbed upon the Camel’s back, and he entered the water and began to swim across the river, the Jackal riding high on the hump of the camel so as not to get wet, even to the tip of his tail.
When they were about the middle of the stream the Camel said: “I believe that I shall roll over.”
“Do not do that,” exclaimed the Jackal, “for I shall get wet and be drowned.”