murdered your slave's children, and your slave desires
to learn whether he is guilty or not according to the Law of the
Land." King Solomon replied, saying, "If the Mouse-deer hath done this
thing wittingly, assuredly he is guilty of death." Then he summoned
the Mouse-deer before him.

And when the Mouse-deer came into the presence of the King, the King
inquired of the Otter, "What is your charge against him?" The Otter
replied, "Your slave accuses him of the murder of your slave's
children; your slave would hear the Law of the Land." Then the King
said unto the Mouse-deer, "Was it your doing that the Otter's children
were killed?" The Mouse-deer replied, "Assuredly it was, but I crave
pardon for doing so." "How was it, then," said the King, "that you
came to kill them?" The Mouse-deer replied, "Your slave came to kill
them because the Woodpecker appeared and sounded the War-gong. Your
slave, as your Majesty is aware, is Chief Dancer of the War-dance;
therefore your slave danced, and, forgetting about the Otter's
children, your slave trod upon them and crushed them flat." Here the
King sent for the Woodpecker also, and the Woodpecker came before him.
"Was it you, Woodpecker," said the King, "who sounded the war-gong?"
"Assuredly it was," said the Woodpecker,--"forasmuch as your slave saw
the Great Lizard wearing his sword." The King replied, "If that is the
case, there is no fault to be found in the Woodpecker" (for the
Woodpecker was Chief Beater of the War-gong). Then the King commanded
the Great Lizard to be summoned, and when he arrived, the King
inquired, "Was it you, Lizard, wearing your sword?" The Great Lizard
replied, "Assuredly it was, your Majesty." "And why were you wearing
your sword?" The Great Lizard replied, "Your slave wore it forasmuch
as your slave saw that the Tortoise had donned his coat of mail." So
the Tortoise was summoned likewise. "Why did you, Tortoise, don your
coat of mail?" The Tortoise replied, "Your slave donned it forasmuch
as your slave saw the King-crab trailing his three-edged pike." Then
the King-crab was sent for. "Why were you, King-crab, trailing your
three-edged pike?" "Because your slave saw that the Crayfish had
shouldered his lance." Then the King sent for the Crayfish, and said,
"Was it you, Crayfish, who was shouldering your lance?" And the
Crayfish replied, "Assuredly it was, your Majesty." "And why did you
shoulder it?" "Because your slave saw the Otter coming down to devo