" The King replied, "If that is the
case, there is no fault to be found in the Woodpecker" (for the
Woodpecker was Chief Beater of the War-gong). Then the King commanded
the Great Lizard to be summoned, and when he arrived, the King
inquired, "Was it you, Lizard, wearing your sword?" The Great Lizard
replied, "Assuredly it was, your Majesty." "And why were you wearing
your sword?" The Great Lizard replied, "Your slave wore it forasmuch
as your slave saw that the Tortoise had donned his coat of mail." So
the Tortoise was summoned likewise. "Why did you, Tortoise, don your
coat of mail?" The Tortoise replied, "Your slave donned it forasmuch
as your slave saw the King-crab trailing his three-edged pike." Then
the King-crab was sent for. "Why were you, King-crab, trailing your
three-edged pike?" "Because your slave saw that the Crayfish had
shouldered his lance." Then the King sent for the Crayfish, and said,
"Was it you, Crayfish, who was shouldering your lance?" And the
Crayfish replied, "Assuredly it was, your Majesty." "And why did you
shoulder it?" "Because your slave saw the Otter coming down to devour
your slave's own children." "Oh," said King Solomon, "if that is the
case, you, Otter are the guilty party, and your complaint of your
children's death cannot be sustained against the Mouse-deer by the
Law of the Land.
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