animal had
appeared from no one knew where, and that when somebody had asked his
name, the strange creature had answered that it was Jack-in-the-Green.
Thanks to this, the monkey was allowed to drink at the pool as often
as he liked, for neither beast nor bird had the faintest notion who he
was. And if they made any inquiries the only answer they got was that
the water of which he had drunk deeply had turned his hair into
leaves, so that they all knew what would happen in case they became
too greedy.

By-and-by the great rains began again. The rivers and streams filled
up, and there was no need for him to go back to the pool, near the
home of his enemy, the puma, as there was a large number of places for
him to choose from. So one night, when everything was still and
silent, and even the chattering parrots were asleep on one leg, the
monkey stole down softly from his perch, and washed off the honey and
the leaves, and came out from his bath in his own proper skin. On his
way to breakfast he met a rabbit, and stopped for a little talk.

'I am feeling rather dull,' he remarked; 'I think it would do me good
to hunt a while. What do you say?'

'Oh, I am quite willing,' answered the rabbit, proud of being spoken
to by such a large creature. 'But the question is, what shall we
hunt?'

'There is no credit in going after an elephant or a tiger,' replied
the monkey stroking his chin, 'they are so big they could not possibly
get out of your way. It shows much more skill to be able to catch a
small thing that can hide itself in a moment behind a leaf. I'll tell
you what! Suppose I hunt butterflies, and you, serpents.'

The rabbit, who was young and without experience, was delighted with
this idea, and they both set out on their various ways.

The monkey quietly climbed up the nearest tree, and ate fruit most of
the day, but the rabbit tired himself to death poking his nose into
every heap of dried leaves he saw, hoping to find a serpent among
them. Luckily for himself the serpents were all away for the
afternoon, at a meeting of their own, for there is nothing a serpent
likes so well for dinner as a nice plump rabbit. But, as it was, the
dried leaves were all empty, and the rabbit at last fell asleep where
he was. Then the monkey, who had been watching him, fell down and
pulled his ears, to the rage of the rabbit, who vowed vengeance.

It was not easy to catch the monkey off his guard, and the rabbit waited
long before a