Then the Jackal Rajah,
creeping quite close up to him, said: "Oh, great Singh Rajah, we all
know you are our master, and we would have come at your bidding long
ago; but, indeed, sir, there is a much bigger rajah even than you
in this jungle, and he tried to catch hold of us and eat us up, and
frightened us so much that we were obliged to run away."
"What do you mean?" growled Singh Rajah. "There is no king in this
jungle but me!" "Ah, sire," answered the jackal, "in truth one would
think so, for you are very dreadful. Your very voice is death. But it
is as we say, for we, with our own eyes, have seen one with whom
you could not compete--whose equal you can no more be than we are
yours--whose face is as flaming fire, his step as thunder, and his
power supreme." "It is impossible!" interrupted the old lion; "but
show me this rajah of whom you speak so much, that I may destroy him
instantly!"
Then the little jackals ran on before him until they reached a great
well, and, pointing down to his own reflection in the water, they
said, "See, sire, there lives the terrible king of whom we spoke."
When Singh Rajah looked down the well he became very angry, for he
thought he saw another lion there.
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