[Illustration:]

As they wrangled and scrambled, and so they found themselves in a ring
around the tree.

Then, when the Tigers were very wee and very far away, Little Black
Sambo jumped up and called out,

"Oh! Tigers! why have you taken off all your nice clothes? Don't you
want them any more?"

[Illustration:]

But the Tigers only answered "Gr-r-r-rrrrr!"

[Illustration:]

Then Little Black Sambo said, "If you want them, say so, or I'll take
them away." But the Tigers would not let go of each others' tails, and
so they could only say "Gr-r-r-rrrrrr!"

[Illustration:]

And the Tigers were very, very angry, but still they would not let go
of each others' tails. And they were so angry that they ran round the
tree, trying to eat each other up, and they ran faster and faster till
they were whirling round so fast that you couldn't see their legs at
all.

[Illustration:]