f him; when down came the serpent, to stop
him, as before. "Where are you going?" cried the crocodile.--"Let
that goose alone," said the serpent, "lest I kill you." The
crocodile replied contemptuously, and the serpent, enraged,
exclaimed, "Well, this time, see if you are not the worse for it;"
and then he struck the crocodile, and wounded him on the face, and
made him scream again. So he was conquered _that_, time, and the
goose got off. Then all the little fish came again, and said to the
crocodile, "How is it that you are beaten by that foolish serpent?
You are wise and powerful, and that little fellow conies and beats
you." Completely ashamed, again the crocodile hid himself in the
water, and began to think by what means he might conquer this
serpent upon the tree. After thinking a long time, the crocodile
determined on boring a hole through the root of the tree; and for a
whole week he kept on boring. Presently, a dog came to drink;
afterwards a goose; also a man; but, the crocodile keeping at his
work, the serpent exulted in having intimidated his adversary, and
said, 'There's nothing so strong, then, as I am." The crocodile
heard him, and labored with all his might to finish boring at the
root, one branch of which remained to cut. The crocodile then
watched at the water-side a good while, when down came the dog to
drink: the crocodile pursued him; the serpent, as before, came to
oppose him, calling out, "Let that dog alone there, lest you get the
worst of it."--"You," said the crocodile, "do not fear God. Yonder
dogs deceive us, and that's the reason I pursue them: as to people,
I never touch them, unless they are guilty of witchcraft. I only
eat the small things,--so just let _me_ alone." When the serpent
heard that, he replied, "There _is_ no God; for if there were, I
should have had both hands and feet: there is no God at all. But I
will have your carcass to-day." Then the dog and the serpent
together made an attack on the crocodile; the crocodile got weaker,
and dived in the water; when all the little fish came again, and
expressed their astonishment, as before, that he should be conquered
by that little serpent, "Wait a little," said the crocodile, "and
you will see I am not conquered by him." The serpent got up the tree
as usual; the crocodile watched,--bored the hole completely,--then
looked up, and saw the serpent sound asleep on a branch overhanging
the water; then, cutting what remained of the root, the