The Flattering Jackal

There was a very cunning jackal who lived in a forest long ago. He was very clever and used flattery when he felt it could help him.
One day, he came upon a dead elephant lying in the forest while hunting for food. The jackal was thrilled because he would have food for quite a few weeks! He went eagerly to begin his feast, but there was a big problem. The elephant’s hide was so tough that he could not tear it, no matter how hard he tried.
While he was struggling with the elephant’s hide, he saw a lion approaching. Immediately, he fell to the ground, bowing deeply to the lion, and said, “Your Majesty, I have been guarding this dead elephant for you. Please help yourself to the feast.”

The lion looked at the elephant and then looked at the jackal angrily. “Don’t you know I do not touch anything that has been killed by someone else? How dare you offer me this elephant?” he growled and stalked away.
That was a relief for the jackal, but how was he to tear the elephant’s hide? Suddenly, he found a leopard coming towards him. “Oh, dear! This fellow is not like the lion. I cannot flatter him and get away with it. I’ll have to use my brains to outwit him,” thought the jackal.
“Sir,” he called out, “I am keeping guard over this elephant killed by the lion. He said I should inform him if I see any leopard prowling near his prey; then he would kill all the leopards in this forest. I thought I should inform you.”
The leopard was terrified of the lion, so he begged the jackal not to say a word to him and quickly ran off from there. But soon a tiger came along. When the jackal saw him, he was mighty pleased and thought, “This tiger can solve my problem now! He has strong teeth and claws. I must try some trickery with him.”

“Hello, sir!” he called out. Then dropping his voice to a whisper, he said, “You are just in time for a meal. The lion who killed this elephant has gone for a while. Before he returns you can have a quick snack. I’ll keep watch and let you know when I see him coming.”
“That’s great! Thank you! ” said the tiger and he tore the dead elephant. After a while, the jackal acted as if he could see the lion coming. He told the tiger who ran away quickly. Now the jackal had the elephant to himself and ate his fill. If any other jackal came, he chased it away.

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