"Or being beaten by chains," murmured Hathi.
"Yes, the taking was simple enough; but if Baba had not cried, the Men would have killed me, I think."
"And that was how you came to Lower Burma?" asked Sa'-zada.
"Yes," answered Hamadryad, "this man who made music with the hollow stick took me with him, and at every place where there were any of his fellows he brought me forth from the basket, and made me dance to his music. That was what he called it—dance."
"Why didn't you bite him?" queried Rattler, making his tail rattles sing in anger.
"He pulled out my fangs," declared Hamadryad.
"He-he," sneered Magh; "now surely it is a great lie, this wondrous tale of Cobra's, for in his mouth are the very fangs he says the black-faced player of music pulled."
"Most wise Ape," said Hamadryad, ironically, "what your big head, like unto a Jack fruit, does not understand, is a lie, forsooth. Even though my teeth were pulled three times, they would grow again; but you do not know that—therefore it is a lie. Even now, behind these that you see, and perhaps yet may feel if you keep on, are others waiting the time when these may be broken. Was it not Hathi said some wise animal arranged all these things for us?"
"Sa'-zada says it is God," interrupted Hathi.
"This man made me fight with a Mongoos, that those of his kind might laugh."