that the Tiger should eat me, when I set him free from his cage?"

"Cage?" said the little Jackal, vacantly.

"Yes, yes, his cage," said the Brahmin. "We want your opinion. Do you
think----"

"Oh," said the little Jackal, "you want my opinion? Then may I beg you
to speak a little more loudly, and make the matter quite clear? I am a
little slow of understanding. Now what was it?"

"Do you think," said the Brahmin, "it is right for this Tiger to eat me,
when I set him free from his cage?"

"What cage?" said the little Jackal.

"Why, the cage he was in," said the Brahmin. "You see----"

"But I don't altogether understand," said the little Jackal. "You 'set
him free,' you say?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" said the Brahmin. "It was this way: I was walking
along, and I saw the Tiger----"

"Oh, dear, dear!" interrupted the little Jackal; "I never can see
through it, if you go on like that, with a long story. If you really
want my opinion you must make the matter clear. What sort of cage was
it?"

"Why, a big, ordinary cage, an iron cage," said the Brahmin.