good for the devil-sickness in children, as they drive the devil away; and then
my shells are good for sore throat, and my stomach is good for stomach-ache,
and my bones are good for tooth-ache. Do you remember that not long ago our
master brought three turtle eggs to feed your children? I heard him say: 'Those
little Chickens caught cold in that damp place, and so I must give them some
turtle eggs.' I saw your children eat those three eggs, and in two or three days
they were well.
"So you see the Turtle is a useful creature in the world, even to Chickens. Why
do you not leave me in peace? As I must stay here against my will, it is not right
that your children should trouble me. Sometimes they take all my rice and I go
hungry, for our master will not allow me to go outside of this fence to hunt food
for myself. I never come to your house and bother you, but your children will
not even let me live in peace in the little corner our master gave me. If I had a
few of my own people here with me, as you have, I think you would not trouble
me. But I have only myself, while you are many.
"Yesterday your children scolded me and disturbed my peace. To-day you come
again; and to-morrow and many to-morrows will see generations and still more
unhatched generations of Chickens coming here to scold me, I fear; for the
length of life of a cackling hen is as a day to me—a Mountain Turtle. I know the
heaven is large, I know the earth is large and made for all creatures alike. But
you think the heavens and the earth were both made for you and your Chickens
only. If you could drive me away to-day you would try to-morrow to drive the
dog away, and in time you would think the master himself ought not to have
enough of your earth and air to live in. This barnyard is large enough for birds,
chickens, ducks, geese, and pigs. It makes our master happy to have us all here."
The Chickens went away ashamed. Talking to each other about it, they said:
"The Turtle is right. It is foolish to want everything. We barnyard creatures must
live at peace with each other until we die. The barnyard is not ours; we use it
only a little while."
EE-SZE (Meaning): The Creator made the world for all to use, and, while using
it, the strong should not try to drive out the weak.
The Proud Fox and the Crab