. We must
find some one to decide between us, and say which is right."

"All right," said the Fish; "take me up on your shoulder again, and let
us find somebody."

So the Man took her up on his shoulder again, and out of the water came
he. On the bank of the river grew a Crab-apple Tree, and the Man
appealed to this Tree to decide their dispute. "O Tree," said he, "this
Fish was lying on the sand, and I saved her life, and now she wants to
eat me. Do you think that is right?"

"Of course!" said the Tree--whose temper was as crabbed as his
apples--"of course! Why not? You men are always doing mischief. Here am
I, an innocent Crab-apple Tree, and people come along and cut off my
branches to shade themselves from the sun. I call that cool!"

"Well," said the Man, "they want to be cool, and that's why they cut
your branches off."

"Don't be a fool," squeaked the Crab-apple Tree; "you know what I mean.
So as you do all this damage to us, we are right to do all we can to
hurt you, and therefore this Fish has a right to eat you if she
chooses."

"Come along," said the Fish, as she opened her mouth; "jump in!"

"Wait a bit," said the Man, "we must try somebody else. I feel sure
there is something wrong with this judgment." The Fish did not wish to
ask anybody else, but she had to agree, because they were on dry land.

So they went along until they saw an Elephant.

"O Elephant!" cried the Man, "do you see this Fish? I saved her life,
and now she wants to eat me. Do you think this is right?"

"Right?" said the Elephant, "I should rather think so! Why, you men are
horrid brutes, always making us carry half-a-dozen of you about on our
backs, or prodding us with a spike, or something nasty. Eat you up? I
only wish _I_ could eat you up, and I would do it too, but nature makes
me eat leaves, and you are too tough for me to digest."

So there was no comfort to be had from the Elephant.

The Fish opened her mouth wider than ever, for she was getting hungry,
and said, "Now then, look sharp--in with you!"

The Man was in despair. What was he to do? "Give me one more chance,"
said he, "and if they all say the same, then you shall eat me."

He looked round, and not far off he saw a Jackal. "Friend Jackal," he
called out; "I say, Jackal! Stop a minute, I want to ask you something."

"All right," said the Jackal, "ask away."

"This Fish," said the Man, "was flip-flap-flopping on the sand and
gasping for breath, and I saved