ne of the melons I found these jewels."

"I don't believe a word you say," screamed the jeweller (and he began
beating the Brahmin, whom he held by the arm); "give up those jewels
which you have stolen from my shop."

"No, I won't," roared the Brahmin; "oh! oh-o! oh-o-o! don't beat me
so; I didn't steal them." But the jeweller was determined to get the
jewels; so he beat the Brahmin and called the police, who came running
up to his assistance, and shouted till a great crowd of people had
collected round his shop. Then he said to the Brahmin, "Give me up the
jewels you stole from me, or I'll give you to the police, and you
shall be put in jail." The Brahmin tried to tell his story about his
son-in-law, the Jackal but of course nobody believed him; and he was
obliged to give the precious stones to the jeweller in order to escape
the police, and to run home as fast as he could. And every one thought
the jeweller was very kind to let him off so easily.

All his family were very unhappy when they heard what had befallen
him. But his wife said, "You had better go again to our son-in-law,
the Jackal, and see what he can do for us."

So next day the Brahmin climbed the hill again, as he had done before,
and went to call upon the Jackal. When the Jackal saw him coming he
was not very well pleased. So he went to meet him, and said,
"Father-in-law, I did not expect to see you again so soon."

"I merely came to see how you were," answered the Brahmin, "and to
tell you how poor we are; and how glad we should be of any help you
can give us."

"What have you done with all the melons I gave you?" asked the Jackal.

"Ah," answered the Brahmin, "that is a sad story!" And beginning at
the beginning, he related how they had sold almost all the melons
without knowing their value; and how the few precious stones they had
found had been taken from him by the jeweller.

When the Jackal heard this he laughed very much, and said; "I see it
is no use giving such unfortunate people as you gold or jewels, for
they will only bring you into trouble. Come, I'll give you a more
useful present."

So, running into his cave, he fetched thence a small chattee, and gave
it to the Brahmin, saying, "Take this chattee; whenever you or any of
the family are hungry, you will always find in it as good a dinner as
this." And putting his paw into the chattee, he extracted thence
currie and rice, pilau, and all sorts of good things, enough to feast
a hund