spread mats there, and sell them."
So the Merchant-insect obtained his employment, drove his ass, and went from
our Lord, picked up ant-heads at the entrance of the black ants, loaded his ass,
and went his way to the market. As he went the ass threw off the large bag.
Then, he alone not being able to lift the bag, he called people, saying: "Come, be
so good as to help me; let us take the sacks and load mine ass;" but not any of
the people would do so. Then the little red ants came after him, and when they
were come to where he was, he said to them, "Please come and help me to load
mine ass". The little red Ants said to the Merchant-insect, "We will not help thee
for nothing."
The Merchant-insect said to the little red Ants, "If you will not help me for
nothing, then come and help me, and when I have come back from the market, I
will pay you."
The little red Ants helped him to load his ass, and the Merchant-insect drove his
ass to the market, put down his sacks in the midst of the market-place, prepared
the ground, spread his mat there, and having sold his ant-heads, he bought his
things, and the market people began to disperse.
Then the Merchant-insect started on his way home, and as he went the little red
Ants saw him, and said to him, "Father-merchant, give us what thou owest us."
The Merchant, however, refused them their due, and went on his way. Now as he
went he got fever so that he sat down under a tree, tied his ass fast, and took off
the sacks from his ass's back. As he sat there the fever overpowered him, and he
lay down. On seeing him lying the little red Ants assembled and came to him.
Now the fever was consuming the Merchant-insect's strength, and when the little
red Ants saw this they assembled together and killed him.
There was one Insect who saw them kill him, and he ran to our Lord, and said to
him, "All the little red Ants assembled together and killed a man in the midst of
the town—that I saw it."
When our Lord heard what the Insect said he called a man and sent him, saying:
"Go and call the little red Ants which kill people and bring them to me."
The messenger arose, went, called all the little red Ants and brought them before
our Lord. On seeing the little red Ants, our Lord asked them, "Why did you kill