hich of them
was the grandest. And at last they all got so angry that they jumped
up and took off all the fine clothes, and began to tear each other with
their claws, and bite each other with their great big white teeth.

And they came, rolling and tumbling right to the foot of the very tree
where Little Black Sambo was hiding, but he jumped quickly in behind the
umbrella. And the Tigers all caught hold of each other's tails, as they
wrangled and scrambled, and so they found themselves in a ring round the
tree.

Then, when the Tigers were very wee and very far away, Little Black
Sambo jumped up, and called out, "Oh! Tigers! why have you taken off all
your nice clothes? Don't you want them any more?" But the Tigers only
answered, "Gr-r-rrrr!"

Then Little Black Sambo said, "If you want them, say so, or I'll take
them away." But the Tigers would not let go of each other's tails, and
so they could only say "Gr-r-r-rrrrrr!"

So Little Black Sambo put on all his fine clothes again and walked off.

And the Tigers were very, very angry, but still they would not let go
of each other's tails. And they were so angry, that they ran round the
tree, trying to eat each other up, and they ran faster and faster, till
they were whirling round so fast that you couldn't see their legs at
all.

And they still ran faster and faster and faster, till they all just
melted away, and there was nothing left but a great big pool of melted
butter (or "ghi," as it is called in India) round the foot of the tree.

Now Black Jumbo was just coming home from his work, with a great big
brass pot in his arms, and when he saw what was left of all the Tigers
he said, "Oh! what lovely melted butter! I'll take that home to Black
Mumbo for her to cook with."

So he put it all into the great big brass pot, and took it home to Black
Mumbo to cook with.

When Black Mumbo saw the melted butter, wasn't she pleased! "Now," said
she, "we'll all have pancakes for supper!"

So she got flour and eggs and milk and sugar and butter, and she made a
huge big plate of most lovely pancakes. And she fried them in the melted
butter which the Tigers had made, and they were just as yellow and brown
as little Tigers.

And then they all sat down to supper. And Black Mumbo ate Twenty-seven
pancakes, and Black Jumbo ate Fifty-five but Little Black Sambo ate a
Hundred and Sixty-nine, because he was so hungry.

THE STORY OF LITTLE BLACK MINGO

By Helen Bannerm