money more than for anything else, took some silver coins along
with him for the journey. Suan took cooked rice and fish instead. Noon
came while they were still on the road. Suan opened his package of
food and began to eat. Pedro was also very hungry at this time, but
no food could be bought on the way. So Suan generously invited Pedro
to eat with him, and they dined together.

After eating, the two resumed their journey. At last they came to a
river. The bridge over it was broken in the middle, and one had to jump
in order to get to the other side. Pedro jumped. Suan followed him,
but unfortunately fell. It so happened that an old man was bathing
in the river below, and Suan accidentally fell right on him. The old
man was knocked silly, and as a consequence was drowned. When Isidro,
the son, who dearly loved his father, heard of the old man's death, he
at once made up his mind to accuse Suan before the king. He therefore
joined the two travellers.

After a while the three came to a place where they saw Barbekin
having a hard time getting his carabao out of the mire. Suan offered
to help. He seized the carabao by the tail, and pulled with great
force. The carabao was rescued, but its tail was broken off short
by a sudden pull of Suan. Barbekin was filled with rage because of
the injury done to his animal: so he, too, resolved to accuse Suan
before the king.

When they came to the palace, the king said, "Why have you come here?"

Pedro spoke first. "I have come," he said, "to accuse Suan to you. He
has one of my posts, and he won't return it to me."

On being asked if the accusation was true, Suan responded with a nod,
and said in addition, "But Pedro ate a part of my rice and fish on
the way here."

"My decision, then," said the king, "is that Suan shall give Pedro
his post, and that Pedro shall give Suan his rice and fish."

Isidro was the next to speak. "I have come here to accuse Suan. While
my father was bathing in the river, Suan jumped on him and killed him."

"Suan, then, must bathe in the river," said the king, "and you may
jump on him."

When Barbekin was asked why he had come, he replied, "I wish to accuse
Suan. He pulled my carabao by the tail, and it was broken off short."

"Give Suan your carabao, then," said the king. "He shall not return
it to you until he has made its tail grow to its full length."

The accused and the accusers now took their leave of the king.

"Give me the carabao now,"