He was trying hard to free himself, but the ropes that bound him
were too strong for him to break. The raven flew back home to get
the help of the rat.

"Oh, rat," he said, "follow me. Our friend, the gazelle, is caught
in a net. Come and gnaw the ropes and set him free!"

The raven flew away and the rat followed. As the rat left home, he
said, "Tortoise, you had better stay at home. You go so slowly
that you can not reach the gazelle in time to help. We shall soon
be back, I hope."

As soon as the raven and the rat were out of sight, the tortoise
said, "I can not stay here and do nothing. I may be needed. I will
hurry as fast as I can;" and he started off.

The raven reached the gazelle first. He said, "Cheer up, the rat
is coming to set you free."

Soon the rat arrived. He began at once to gnaw the ropes. He had
just set the gazelle free when a hunter came along. The gazelle
sprang to one side into the bushes, the raven flew into a tree,
and the rat ran into a hole in the ground.

The hunter looked about for the gazelle, but could not find him.
He was very angry.

Just then the tortoise came up. The hunter picked him up and put
him into his bag for his supper.