Then the Mule asked his mother, "Will you allow me to go with Sii to see his
friend?"
"Who is his friend?" asked the mother.
"The farmer's Pig." said the Mule.
"I think it is no harm if you go only there," said the mother Mule. "But you must
not go anywhere else with Sii. The hunter is looking for him, I hear, and you
must be careful. Do not trust him fully, for I fear he will tempt you to go to some
other place or into some wrong thing. If I allow you to go, you must come home
before midnight. The moon will not be gone then and you can see to find your
way."
So the Lion and the Mule went to visit the Pig, who lived in a house in the
farmer's yard. But as soon as the Pig saw the Lion, he called out in a loud voice
to his mother.
The Lion said, "He is afraid of me. I will hide and you may go in first."
When the Pig saw that the Mule was alone, he thought the Lion had gone.
He opened his door wide and was very friendly to the Mule, saying,
"Come in."
But the Lion jumped from his hiding place and caught the Pig as he came to the
door. The Pig called to his mother in great fear, and the Mule begged the Lion,
saying, "Let the poor little creature go free."
But the Lion said, "No, indeed; I have many Pigs at my house. It is better for
him to go with me."
Then the Lion carried the Pig, while the Mule followed. Soon they came to
where a fine looking dog lay on some hay behind a net. The Lion did not seem to
see the net, for he dropped the Pig and tried to catch the Dog, who cried loudly
for mercy.
But the Lion said to the foolish Mule, "See how rude the Dog is to us.
We came to visit him and he makes a loud noise and tries to call the
hunter so that he will drive us away. I have never been so insulted.
Come here, Lii-Tsze, at once and help me!"