I certainly will not go inside until I know that
all is safe there." So he called out: "Little house, pretty house, my
sweet little house, why do you not give an answer when I call? If
I come, and all is safe and right, you always call out to me. Is
anything wrong, that you do not speak?"
Then the Alligator, who was inside, thought, "If that is the case I
had better call out, that he may fancy all is right in his house." And
in as gentle a voice as he could, he said, "Sweet little Jackal."
At hearing these words the Jackal felt quite frightened, and thought
to himself: "So the dreadful old Alligator is there. I must try to
kill him if I can, for if I do not he will certainly catch and kill me
some day." He therefore answered: "Thank you, my dear little house. I
like to hear your pretty voice. I am coming in in a minute, but first
I must collect firewood to cook my dinner." And he ran as fast as he
could, and dragged all the dry branches and bits of stick he could
find close up to the mouth of the den. Meantime, the Alligator inside
kept as quiet as a mouse, but he could not help laughing a little to
himself as he thought: "So I have deceived this tiresome little Jackal
at last.
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