the story of little black sambo-第2节

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see　him；　for　he　was　hiding　under　the　very　bank　she　was

standing　on；　and　though　his　tail　stuck　out　a　little　she

never　saw　him　at　all。



She　would　have　liked　to　run　home；　but　she　was　too　much

afraid　that　Black　Noggy　would　beat　her。



So　Little　Black　Mingo　crept　down　to　the　river；　and　began　to

fill　the　big　chatty　with　water。　　And　while　she　was　filling

it　the　Mugger　came　creeping　softly　down　behind　her　and

caught　her　by　the　tail；　saying；　〃Aha；　Little　Black　Mingo；

now　I've　got　you。〃



And　Little　Black　Mingo　said；　〃Oh！　Please　don't　eat　me　up；

great　big　Mugger。〃



What　will　you　give　me；　if　I　don't　eat　you　up？〃　said　the

Mugger。　　But　Little　Black　Mingo　was　so　poor　she　had　nothing

to　give。　　So　the　Mugger　caught　her　in　his　great　cruel　mouth

and　swam　away　with　her　to　an　island　in　the　middle　of　the

river　and　set　her　down　beside　a　huge　piles　of　eggs。



〃Those　are　my　eggs；〃　said　he；　〃to…morrow　a　little　mugger

will　come　out　of　each；　and　then　we　will　have　a　great　feast；

and　we　will　eat　you　up。〃



Then　he　waddled　off　to　catch　fish　for　himself；　and　left

Little　Black　Mingo　alone　beside　the　big　pile　of　eggs。



And　Little　Black　Mingo　sat　down　on　a　big　stone　and　hid　her

face　in　her　hands；　and　cried　bitterly；　because　she　couldn't

swim　and　she　didn't　know　how　to　get　away。



Presently　she　heard　a　queer　little　squeaky　noise　that

sounded　like　〃Squeak；　Squeak；　Squeak！！！　　Oh　Little　Black

Mingo；　help　me　or　I　shall　be　drowned。〃　　She　got　up　and

looked　to　see　what　was　calling；　and　she　saw　a　bush　coming

floating　down　the　river　with　something　wriggling　and

scrambling　about　in　it；　and　as　it　came　near　she　saw　that　it

was　a　Mongoose　that　was　in　the　bush。　　So　she　waded　out　as

far　as　she　could；　and　caught　hold　of　the　bush　and　pulled　it

in；　and　the　poor　Mongoose　crawled　up　her　arm　on　to　her

shoulder；　and　she　carried　him　to　shore。



When　they　got　to　shore　the　Mongoose　shook　himself；　and

Little　Black　Mingo　wrung　out　her　petticoat；　and　so　they　both

very　soon　got　dry。



The　Mongoose　then　began　to　poke　about　for　something　to　eat；

and　very　soon　he　found　the　great　big　pile　of　Mugger's　eggs。

〃Oh；　joy！〃　said　he；　〃what's　this？〃



〃Those　are　Mugger's　eggs；〃　said　Little　Black　Mingo。



〃I'm　not　afraid　of　Muggers！〃　said　the　Mongoose；　and　he　sat

down　and　began　to　crack　the　eggs；　and　eat　the　little　muggers

as　they　came　out。　　And　he　threw　the　shells　into　the　water；

so　that　the　old　Mugger　should　not　see　that　any　one　had　been

eating　them。　　But　he　was　careless；　and　he　left　one　eggshell

on　the　edge；　and　he　was　hungry　and　he　ate　so　many　that　the

pile　got　much　smaller；　and　when　the　old　Mugger　came　back　he

saw　at　once　that　some　one　had　been　meddling　with　them。



So　he　ran　to　Little　Black　Mingo；　and　said；　〃How　dare　you　eat

my　eggs？〃



〃Indeed；　indeed　I　didn't；〃　said　Little　Black　Mingo。



〃Then　who　could　it　have　been？〃　said　the　Mugger；　and　he　ran

back　to　the　eggs　as　fast　as　he　could；　and　sure　enough　when

he　got　back　he　found　the　Mongoose　had　eaten　a　whole　lot

more！！



Then　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　must　stay　beside　my　eggs　till

they　are　hatched　into　little　muggers；　or　the　Mongoose　will

eat　them　all。〃　　So　he　curled　himself　into　a　ring　round　the

eggs　and　went　to　sleep。



But　while　he　was　asleep　the　Mongoose　came　to　eat　some　more

of　the　eggs；　and　ate　as　many　as　he　wanted；　and　when　the

Mugger　woke　this　time；　oh！　WHAT　a　rage　he　was　in；　for　there

were　only　six　eggs　left！　　He　roared　so　loud　that　all　the

little　muggers　inside　the　shells　gnashed　their　teeth；　and

tried　to　roar　too。



Then　he　said；　〃I　know　what　I'll　do；　I'll　fetch　Little　Black

Mingo's　big　chatty　and　cover　my　eggs　with　that；　then　the

Mongoose　won't　be　able　to　get　at　them。〃　　So　he　swam　across

to　the　shore；　and　fetched　the　dhobi's　big　chatty；　and

covered　the　eggs　with　it。　　〃Now；　you　wicked　little　Mongoose；

come　and　eat　my　eggs　if　you　can；〃　said　he；　and　he　went　off

quite　proud　and　happy。



By　and　by　the　Mongoose　came　back；　and　he　was　terribly

disappointed　when　he　found　the　eggs　all　covered　with　the　big

chatty。



So　he　ran　off　to　Little　Black　Mingo；　and　asked　her　to　help

him；　and　Little　Black　Mingo　came　and　took　the　big　chatty　off

the　eggs；　and　the　Mongoose　ate　them　every　one。



〃Now；〃　said　he；　〃there　will　be　no　little　muggers　to　make　a

feast　for　tomorrow。〃



〃No；〃　said　Little　Black　Mingo；　〃but　the　Mugger　will　eat　me

all　by　himself　I　am　afraid。〃



〃No　he　won't；〃　said　the　Mongoose；　〃for　we　will　sail　away

together　in　the　big　chatty　before　he　comes　back。〃



So　he　climbed　on　to　the　edge　of　the　chatty；　and　Little　Black

Mingo　pushed　the　chatty　out　into　the　water；　and　then　she

clambered　into　it　and　paddled　with　her　two　hands　as　hard　as

she　could；　and　the　big　chatty　just　sailed　beautifully。



So　they　got　across　safely；　and　Little　Black　Mingo　filled　the

chatty　half　full　of　water　and　took　it　on　her　head；　and　they

went　up　the　bank　together。



But　when　the　Mugger　came　back；　and　found　only　empty　egg…

shells　he　was　fearfully　angry。　　He　roared　and　he　raged；　and

he　howled　and　he　yelled；　till　the　whole　island　shook；　and

his　tears　ran　down　his　cheeks　and　pattered　on　the　sand　like

rain。



So　he　started　to　chase　Little　Black　Mingo　and　the　Mongoose；

and　he　swam　across　the　river　as　fast　as　ever　he　could；　and

when　he　was　half　way　across　he　saw　them　landing；　and　as　he

landed　they　hurried　over　the　first　ridge。



So　he　raced　after　them；　but　they　ran；　and　just　before　he

caught　them　they　got　into　the　house；　and　banged　the　door　in

his　face。　　Then　they　shut　all　the　windows；　so　he　could　not

get　in　anywhere。



〃All　right；〃　said　he；　〃you　will　have　to　come　out　some　time；

and　then　I　will　catch　you　both；　and　eat　you　up。〃



So　he　hid　behind　the　back　of　the　house　and　waited。



Now　Black　Noggy　was　just　coming　home　from　the　bazaar　with　a

tin　of　kerosene　on　her　head；　and　a　box　of　matches　in　her

hand。



And　when　he　saw　her　the　Mugger　rushed　out　and　gobbled　her

up；　kerosene　tin；　matches　and　all！！！



When　Black　Noggy　found　herself　in　the　Muggers'　dark　inside；

she　wanted　to　see　where　she　was；　so　she　felt　for　the　match…

box　and　took　out　a　match　and　lit　it。　　But　the　Mugger's　teeth

had　made　holes　in　the　kerosene　tin；　so　that　the　flame　of　the

match　caught　the　kerosene；　and　BANG！！　　the　kerosene

exploded；　and　blew　the　old　Mugger　and　Black　noggy　into

little　bits。



At　the　fearful　noise　Little　Black　Mingo　and　the　Mongoose

came　running　out；　and　there　they　found　Black　Noggy　and　the

old　Mugger　all　blown　to　bits。



So　Little　Black　Mingo　and　the　Mongoose　got　the　nice　little

house　for　their　very　own；　and　there　they　lived　happy　ever

after。　　And　Little　Black　Mingo　got　the　Mugger's　beard　for　her

seat；　and　the　Mongoose　got　Black　Noggy's　handkerchief　for

his。　　But　he　was　so　wee　he　used　to　put　it　on　the　Mugger's

nose；　and　there　they　sat；　and　had　their　tea　every　evening。









End