Jackal was a great farmer. He grew the sweetest sugar yams and the tastiest potatoes. Tiger, who lived next to him, was a farmer too, but he was never as good as Jackal.

“That Jackal thinks he’s so great,” thought Tiger one day, watching his neighbor watering his plants. “If he wasn’t my neighbor, I would have his fields. Then I would grow the best crops.”

He decided to get rid of Jackal and went to him one summer’s day.

“I am going to throw you in the river!” he said to Jackal.

Jackal was a very clever animal. He knew how jealous Tiger was. “If you must throw me in the river, at least let me put on my favorite cloak.”

Tiger thought for a moment, then agreed. Jackal emerged from his house wearing a long cape that covered him from head to foot.

They walked along the road, and Jackal said, “If you must throw me in the river, at least let me visit my friend Turtle one last time.”

Tiger grumbled. But he agreed to let Jackal see his friend Turtle one more time.

Tiger waited as Jackal went inside Turtle’s house one last time.

“Hello Turtle! How are you this fine day?”

“I am very tired,” said Turtle.

“Well it just so happens that I am going down to the river to have a swim with Tiger. You can go in my place if you wish.

“A swim is just what I need!” Said Turtle. “But I need to fetch my cattle from the field.

“I will fetch your cattle,” said Jackal, “Do not worry. GO to the river in my place and have a good time.”

So Turtle switched places with Jackal.

When Tiger took the cloaked figure he thought contained Jackal down to the river, he threw it in. Turtle landed with a splash and swam to the bottom of the river, thoroughly refreshed.

Tiger started walking back to the village, and came across Jackal with a herd of cattle. He couldn’t believe it!

“Where did you get those cattle?” he asked.

“Why, in the river, of course. I only took a few, but there are lots of cattle in there, just jump in and grab some!”

Tiger jumped in the river and started looking for cattle. Of course, there were none. Tiger was so embarrassed that he had been tricked that he floated downstream to start a new life, as far away from Jackal as possible!

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Jackal was a great farmer. His potatoes and sugar yams were the biggest and tastiest. Tiger was a farmer as well, but his potatoes and sugar yams were never as big or as tasty as Jackals. This made Tiger jealous.

“I know,” thought Tiger, “I will dam up the river so that the water will not flow to Jackal’s farm.”

So Tiger dammed up the river so that the water would not flow to Jackal’s farm. Jackal noticed that there was no water and walked up the river to where Tiger had built the dam. “Hmm,” thought Jackal. “There are Tiger’s tracks here. He must have blocked the river so that the water could not flow to my farm. I think I will play a trick on him!”

Jackal picked some weeds out of his garden and placed them on his back. Then he went into town and walked back and forth in front of Tiger’s window yelling, “Dried up potatoes! Half-grown sugar yams!”

“What are you doing?” asked Tiger.

“I am selling my crops.”

“Do people want to buy dried up potatoes and half-grown sugar yams?” asked Tiger.

“Oh yes!” said Jackal. “They are very valuable! You can sell such items in town.”

So Tiger pulled up all of his sugar yams before they were full-grown. He did not water his fields and all of his potatoes dried up. He loaded the crops on his back and tried to sell them in town, but everyone laughed at him and he realized he had been tricked.

Tiger was angry at Jackal. “I know,” he thought, “I will burn his house down.”

Jackal overheard Tiger’s plan. Jackal moved all of his belongings out of his house and put them in his barn. Sure enough, Tiger came that night and set fire to Jackal’s house. But because Jackal was ready. He was able to put out the fire before too much damage was done.

“It seems as if Tiger has not learned his lesson yet,” thought Jackal.

Jackal went down to the road to an inn. Some merchants were just entering the inn, and their camels were waiting to be led into the barn. Jackal disguised himself as a barn boy and took the camels. But instead of leading them to the barn, first he walked them past Tiger’s house a few times.

Tiger came to the window and asked, “Where did you get those camels?”

“I sold the ashes of my home in town. Then I had enough money to buy these camels.”

“Do ashes sell for so much?” asked Tiger.

“Oh yes,” said Jackal, “especially if you burn your house down with all your belongs inside.” He led the camels away.

So Tiger burned his house down with all his belongings in it. He loaded the ashes on his back and tried to sell them in town, but everyone laughed at him and he realized he had been tricked.

Tiger decided to get rid of Jackal once and for all. He tied Jackal up and said, “I am going to throw you in the river!”

As they were walking along the road, Jackal came up with a plan. “I am cold, Tiger,” he said.

“Here, wrap yourself in this blanket,” said Tiger. Then Tiger went to rest beneath a tree.

Just then, Turtle came past driving his herd of cattle. “Turtle, you look tired and hot,” said Jackal. “I am going down to the river to have a swim with Tiger. If you would like, you can go in my place and I will watch your cattle.”

“I am very hot and tired,” said Turtle, “and a dip in the river is just what I need!” He agreed and switched places with Jackal.

When Tiger was done resting, he took the blanket that he thought contained Jackal down to the river and threw it in. Turtle landed with a splash and swam around for a bit until he was thoroughly refreshed.

Tiger started walking back to the village and came across Jackal with a herd of cattle. “Where did you get that herd of cattle?” asked Tiger.

“Why, in the river! I only took a few but there are lots of cattle in the river, just jump in and grab some!”

Tiger jumped in the river and started looking for cattle. Of course, there were no cattle. Tiger was so embarrassed that he had been tricked three times that he floated all the way downstream to start a new life, as far away from Jackal as possible!

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