Once upon a time, there lived a humped camel and a cunning jackal. The camel was a big, strong, and slow-moving creature with a gentle heart. The jackal, however, was small, sharp-witted, and always looking for an easy meal or a clever trick.
Now, their homes were separated by a wide, gurgling river. The tastiest treats the jackal could imagine — sweet sugar cane, fresh fish, and crunchy crabs — grew on the other side. But the jackal hated the water! It would splash and bubble, and he simply could not swim across.
One sunny morning, the jackal spotted the camel grazing peacefully near the riverbank. He trotted over, wagging his bushy tail.
“Oh, mighty Camel,” he called out in his smoothest voice, “I have the most brilliant idea! If you carry me across this river on your strong back, I will show you a huge field of the juiciest, sweetest sugar cane you have ever seen! You can feast for hours, and I will dine on the fish and crabs near the riverbank. We’ll both have a grand dinner!”
The camel thought about the sugar cane. He loved sugar cane. He pictured the stalks, tall and green, and the sweet taste filling his mouth.
“That sounds wonderful, little friend,” the camel rumbled. “It’s a bargain! Hop on my back.”
The jackal was delighted. He scrambled up and settled between the camel’s big humps. The camel carefully stepped into the cold water. Splash! Splash! The river grew deeper and deeper, but the camel’s long legs made crossing easy. He was a perfect ferry!
Soon, they reached the other side and shook off the river water.
“Follow me!” squeaked the jackal, racing ahead. He led the camel to a vast field.
“Oh, my!” cried the camel. The sugar cane field stretched out farther than he could see. He immediately began munching, happily pulling stalk after stalk. Crunch! Crunch! What a delicious sound!
The jackal scurried down to the water’s edge. He caught a plump fish and a few crabs and sat down to enjoy his feast. He had a much smaller stomach than the camel, so he was finished much sooner.
But the jackal, being a trickster, grew bored waiting. And when the jackal grew bored, he grew mischievous. He started to howl, a loud, piercing, A-WOOOOOO!
The farmers who owned the field heard the terrible noise. “A jackal!” they shouted. They ran out with big wooden sticks and began to chase the small animal.
The jackal, quick as lightning, dodged and darted between the sugar cane plants and ran straight back to the river.
The camel, who had been enjoying his sweet, quiet meal, looked up in alarm. “What was that dreadful noise? And why are those angry farmers chasing you?”
The jackal leaped onto the camel’s back. “Oh, dear Camel, please hurry! I can’t help it,” he lied with a grin. “Whenever I eat a satisfying meal, I always feel the urge to sing! I nearly always have a little roll in the water after dinner, too.”
The camel’s eyes went wide. “Why on earth did you do that? We were peaceful, and now we’re in trouble!”
The camel couldn’t argue. He had agreed to the bargain. He knew he had to get them both away from the farmers. He rushed back into the river with the jackal clinging tightly to his back.
They were halfway across the deep, cool water when the camel stopped.
“Little Jackal,” the camel said, his voice slow and deliberate. “You told me you like a roll in the water after a good meal.”
“Yes, but…” started the jackal, realising his mistake.
“Well,” continued the camel, his voice low, “I find that after I have been unfairly beaten because of someone else’s tricks, I always feel the urge to splash and cool off my back!”
Without another word, the big camel suddenly bucked and rolled his back!
WHOOSH! SPLASH!
The poor little jackal was tossed high into the air! He landed right in the river with a big ker-plunk! He spluttered and coughed, fighting the current. He had to swim for his life to the riverbank.
The camel, having repaid the jackal for the beating he had received, calmly walked out of the water. He was satisfied and cool.
The wet, miserable, and defeated jackal stood on the opposite bank, shaking his fur and looking very foolish. The camel looked down at him and offered one last piece of advice.
“Remember, Jackal,” the camel said gently. “If you play a trick on others, they might just find a clever way to trick you back!”
And the camel turned around and walked home, leaving the trickster to think about his soggy, well-deserved punishment.