Laos Folk-Lore of Farther India

"Why didst thou, O fruit, fall on my head," cried the hermit.

The fruit answered: "We did not wish to fall; a mon-goose ran against our vine and threw us down."

And the hermit asked, "O mon-goose, why didst thou throw the fruit?"

The mon-goose answered: "I did not wish to throw down the fruit, but the red ants bit me and I ran against the vine."

The hermit asked, "O ants, why did ye bite the mon-goose?"

The red ants replied: "The hen flew against our nest and angered us."

The hermit asked, "O hen, why didst thou fly against the red ants' nest?"

And the hen replied: "The seed fell into my eyes and hu