Friends in Deed

A

Friends in Deed

N ANTELOPE lived in a thicket near a small lake. Not far from the lake, a

woodpecker had her nest at the top of a tree. And in the lake lived a tortoise.

The three became friends, and lived together very happily.

A hunter, wandering about in the forest, noticed the antelope’s footprints at the

edge of the water; and he set a trap for it, made of leather thongs, and then went his

way. That night the antelope went down to the lake to drink, and got caught in the

noose. He cried aloud for help. Hearing him, the woodpecker flew down from her

tree-top, and the tortoise came out of the water, and they consulted each other about

what to do.

Said the woodpecker, “Friend tortoise, you have teeth to bite through the snare. I

will go and see to it that the hunter stays away. If we both do our best, our friend will

not lose his life.”

The tortoise began to gnaw the leather thong, and the woodpecker made her

way to the hunter’s dwelling. At daybreak, the hunter came out, knife in hand. As

soon as the bird saw him, she cried out, flapped her wings, and struck him in the

face as he walked out of his front door.

“A bird of ill omen has struck me!” muttered the hunter, and he turned back and

remained indoors for a while. Then he got ready again, and picked up his hunting-

knife.

The woodpecker reasoned, “The first time he came out by the front door, now

he will leave by the back.” And she settled on a fence behind the house. Sure enough,

the hunter came out by the back, and the bird cried out again and struck him in the

face.

“An unlucky bird for certain!” exclaimed the hunter. “The creature will not

leave me alone.” Turning back, he stayed at home till next day, when he picked up

his knife and started out again.

The woodpecker hurried back to her friends. “Here comes the hunter!” she

cried. By this time the tortoise had gnawed through all the thongs but one. His teeth

felt as though they would fall out, and his mouth was sore and smeared with blood.

The antelope saw the young hunter running through the clearing, knife in hand.

Making a great effort, he burst through the last thong, and fled into the woods. Thewoodpecker flew to the top of a tall tree. But the tortoise was so weak that he lay

where he was; and the hunter threw him into a bag, and tied it to the tree.

When the antelope saw that the tortoise had been captured, he was determined to

save his friend’s life. So he let the hunter see him, and pretended to be weak and

lame. The hunter saw him, seized his knife, and set off in pursuit. The antelope,

keeping just out of his reach, led him into the forest; and when he judged that they

had come a sufficient distance, he gave the hunter the slip and returned swiftly by

another way. Then he lifted the bag with his horns, dropped it on the ground, ripped

it open and let the tortoise out. And the woodpecker came down from the tree.

Then the antelope spoke to his friends: “You have been true friends and have

saved my life. Now the hunter will come after you. So you, friend woodpecker, must

move elsewhere in the forest with your brood. And you, friend tortoise, must dive

into the water and take up residence on the other side of the lake.”

So they went their different ways, and when the hunter returned, he could find

none of them. He picked up his torn bag, and went home feeling sorry for himself.