THE LITTLE JACKAL
by Clifton Johnson · from Bluebeard
Adapted Version
Once there was a little Jackal. He lived near a big river. He looked for crabs. A Big Alligator lived there. He saw the Jackal. The Alligator was hungry. He wanted to eat the Jackal.
One day, the Big Alligator hid. He hid in the mud. His nose looked like a crab. The Jackal came. He saw the crab. He put his paw in. Snap! The Alligator caught his paw. The Jackal was scared.
The Jackal laughed. "Oh, silly Alligator!" he said. "You caught an old stick. Not my paw! I put a stick there." The Big Alligator thought. "It is a stick." He opened his mouth. The Jackal ran away. He was very fast.
The Jackal did not go to the river. He was afraid. He ate figs from a tree. The Big Alligator waited. He went to the fig tree. He made a fig pile. He hid under the figs.
The Jackal came. He saw the fig pile. "Why are figs so still?" he asked. "Good figs move." The Alligator heard. "I must move them!" he thought. The Alligator shook. Figs rolled. The Jackal saw him. He ran away.
The Jackal did not go to the fig tree. He stayed in the jungle. He ate roots and berries. He found little food. He became very thin. He was sad.
The Big Alligator went to the Jackal's house. The Jackal was not home. The Alligator went inside. He hid under the leaves. These were the Jackal's bed. He waited for the Jackal.
The Jackal came home. He was hungry and tired. He saw his door. It was open. He felt scared. "My house, why are you quiet?" he asked. "You always say hello to me."
The Big Alligator heard. "Oh, I must speak!" he thought. He made his voice small. He made his voice silly. "All is well, little Jackal," he said. The Jackal knew. The Alligator was inside.
"I need water," the Jackal said. He went to the brook. He did not drink. He found big branches. He found heavy stones. He piled them at the door. The Alligator could not get out. The Jackal made loud noises.
The Big Alligator was scared. He heard loud noises. He felt trapped. He found a small hole. He squeezed out. He ran far away. He ran very fast. He never came back.
The Jackal was safe. He was very happy! He ate many figs. He ate many crabs. He was fat and strong. The Jackal was small. But he was very smart! Being smart is very good.
Original Story
VII—THE LITTLE JACKAL
Once upon a time a little jackal lived near the bank of a great river. Every day he went down to the water to catch the crabs that were there.
Not far away, in the same river, dwelt a cruel alligator. He saw the little jackal come down to the water every day, and he thought, “What a nice tender morsel that little jackal would make if I could only catch him!”
One day the alligator hid in the mud, where the water was shallow near shore. Only the tip of his nose stuck out, and that looked very much like the back of a crab.
Soon the little jackal came running along the bank of the river seeking his usual food. When he saw the end of the alligator’s nose he thought he had found a fine big crab, and he put in his paw to scoop it out of the mud.
The moment he did that, snap! the teeth of the alligator came together, and the jackal was caught by the paw. He was terribly frightened, for he knew the alligator intended to pull him into the river and eat him.
However, he began to laugh, though the alligator’s teeth hurt him sadly. “Oh, you stupid old alligator!” he said. “You thought you would catch my paw, and instead caught a bulrush root that I stuck down in the water to tickle your nose. Ha, ha! you silly, silly alligator.”
“Well, well,” the alligator thought, “I am very much disappointed. I certainly supposed I had caught that little jackal. But it seems I have nipped nothing except a bulrush root. There is no use of holding on to that.” So he opened his mouth.
Then the little jackal snatched out his paw. “O stupid one!” he cried, “you really had caught me, and now you have let me go. Ha, ha! ring-a-ting, ring-a-ting! You’ll never catch me again.” So saying, off he ran up the bank and into the jungle.
The alligator was furiously angry. “I was tricked by the little rascal that time,” he said, “but if I get hold of him again he will not escape so easily.”
Once more the alligator hid in the mud and waited. But the little jackal came no more to the river. He was afraid, and he stayed in the woods living on figs that he gathered under a wild fig tree.
Day after day passed and it became plain to the alligator that the little jackal was avoiding the river. So early one morning he crawled out of the water and dragged himself to the wild fig tree. There he gathered together a great heap of figs and hid under them.
Shortly afterward the jackal came running to the fig tree, licking his lips, for he was very hungry. At sight of the great heap of figs he was delighted. “Now I will not have the trouble of picking up the figs scattered about on the ground,” he said. “Somebody has piled them up all ready for me. How nice!”
But when he went nearer he became suspicious, and thought, “It looks as though something might be hidden under those figs.”
Then he cried out: “What is the matter here? Usually, when I come to the fig tree, all the figs that are any good roll about in the wind. Those figs in the pile lie so still that I doubt if they are fit to eat. I will have to go to some other place to get good figs.”
The jackal’s words made the alligator fear that he had failed again, and he thought: “This little jackal is very particular. I will just shake myself and make the figs roll about a trifle. Then he will come near enough for me to grab him.”
So the alligator shook himself, and away rolled the figs in all directions.
“Oh, you stupid old alligator!” the jackal shouted; “if you had stayed still you might have caught me. Ring-a-ting, ring-a-ting! Thank you for shaking yourself and letting me know you were there!” Then away he ran as fast as his legs would carry him.
The alligator gnashed his teeth with rage. “Never mind! I will catch this little jackal yet,” he declared, and he hid in the tall grass beside the path that led to the fig tree.
He waited there for several days, but he saw nothing of his intended victim. The jackal was afraid to come to the fig tree any more. He stayed in the jungle and fed on such roots and berries as he could find there, but found so little that he grew thin and miserable.
One morning the alligator made his way to the jackal’s house while the jackal was away. He squeezed in through the narrow doorway and hid under the heap of dead leaves that was the jackal’s bed.
Toward evening the little jackal came running home. He was very hungry, for he had found scarcely anything to eat all day, and he was very tired too. Just as he was about to go in and lie down on his bed he noticed that the sides of the doorway were scraped and broken as if some big animal had forced its way through.
The Alligator Goes to the Jackal’s House
The little jackal was terribly frightened. He thought, “Is it possible that the wicked alligator has come to hunt for me here in my own house and is waiting inside to catch me?”
Then he called loudly: “What is the matter, house of mine? Every day when I come home you say, ‘All is well, little jackal,’ but today you say nothing, and I am afraid to come in.”
Of course the house did not really speak to him, but he wanted to find out if the alligator was there, and the alligator believed his words. The stupid creature thought, “I shall have to speak just as the house would speak or this tiresome little jackal will not come in.”
He made his voice as small and soft as he could, and said, “All is well, little jackal.”
Then the jackal knew that the alligator was in his house, and he was more scared than ever. However, he contrived to respond in a cheerful voice: “All right, little house! I will come in as soon as I have been to the brook for a drink of water.”
When the alligator heard these words he was filled with joy. He lay quite still under the leaves thinking: “Now I will have that little jackal at last. This time he shall not escape me.”
But while he waited, the jackal gathered together a great heap of dead wood and brush and piled it against the door of the house. When it was big enough, the jackal set fire to the heap. It blazed up with a great noise, and the wicked alligator was burned to death.
Then the little jackal danced about singing:
“The alligator’s dead, and I am glad!
Oh, ring-a-ting-a-ting; oh, ring-a-ting-ting!
The alligator’s dead, and I am glad!”
After that the little jackal went wherever he pleased in safety, and he ate so many figs and so many crabs that he became as fat as fat could be.
Story DNA
Moral
Intelligence and quick thinking can overcome brute force and danger.
Plot Summary
A clever jackal is repeatedly targeted by a hungry alligator who wants to eat him. Through three escalating encounters, the jackal uses his wit to escape each of the alligator's traps: first by pretending the alligator caught a root, then by tricking the alligator into revealing himself from under a pile of figs, and finally by making the alligator speak from inside his house. In a decisive act, the jackal sets fire to his own house, burning the alligator to death and securing his freedom and safety.
Themes
Emotional Arc
fear to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Clifton Johnson's collection 'Fairy Tale Books' often adapted stories from various global sources, including Indian fables, for a Western audience.
Plot Beats (12)
- A little jackal hunts crabs by a river, observed by a hungry alligator.
- The alligator hides in the mud, disguised as a crab, and catches the jackal's paw.
- The jackal tricks the alligator into believing he caught a bulrush root, causing the alligator to release him.
- The jackal avoids the river, eating figs, prompting the alligator to hide under a pile of figs near the fig tree.
- The jackal becomes suspicious of the still pile of figs and tricks the alligator into revealing himself by shaking the figs.
- The jackal continues to avoid the fig tree, growing thin and miserable.
- The alligator goes to the jackal's house and hides under the bed of leaves.
- The jackal notices signs of forced entry and, suspecting danger, pretends to ask his house why it's silent.
- The alligator, believing the house should speak, imitates a small voice, confirming his presence.
- The jackal, feigning a need for water, gathers wood and brush, piles it against his house door, and sets it on fire.
- The alligator is burned to death inside the house.
- The jackal celebrates his victory and lives safely and prosperously thereafter.
Characters
The Little Jackal ★ protagonist
A small, agile jackal, initially lean due to hunger, but later becoming plump. His fur is likely sandy or light brown, typical of a jackal, allowing him to blend into his environment near the river and jungle.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: Survival and safety. He wants to eat and live without being caught and eaten by the alligator.
Flaw: His initial hunger makes him vulnerable to traps, and he can be easily frightened.
He starts as a vulnerable creature hunted by a predator, but through his intelligence, he overcomes the threat, becoming safe and prosperous.
Clever, quick-witted, resourceful, cautious, and a bit mischievous. He uses his intelligence to outsmart his larger, stronger adversary.
Image Prompt & Upload
A small, lean jackal standing upright on its hind legs, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. It has sandy-brown fur, a pointed snout, large alert dark eyes, and erect triangular ears. Its tail is bushy and held slightly aloft. It has a clever, slightly mischievous expression with a knowing smirk. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Cruel Alligator ⚔ antagonist
A large, powerful alligator, described as 'cruel'. Its skin is likely dark green or brownish-grey, scaly and tough, with a long, muscular tail and powerful jaws. It is heavy and slow on land but formidable in water.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To catch and eat the little jackal, driven by hunger and a desire for an easy meal.
Flaw: His gullibility and overconfidence. He consistently falls for the jackal's tricks.
He remains a persistent predator, never learning from his mistakes, ultimately leading to his demise.
Cruel, persistent, hungry, and easily tricked. He is driven by his predatory instincts but lacks the cunning of the jackal.
Image Prompt & Upload
A large, powerful alligator, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. It has dark green, scaly skin, a broad, long snout with many sharp teeth, and small, beady yellow eyes. Its body is thick and muscular, with a long, powerful tail. It stands with a low, heavy posture, jaws slightly agape. It has a determined, predatory expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
River Bank
The edge of a great river, where the water is shallow near the shore, with mud and bulrush roots. The bank itself is a path leading to the jungle.
Mood: Initially a place of routine and food gathering, quickly becomes tense and dangerous due to the alligator's presence.
The jackal attempts to catch crabs, is ambushed by the alligator, and cleverly escapes by tricking the alligator into releasing his paw.
Image Prompt & Upload
A wide, slow-moving river with muddy banks, reflecting a bright, humid sky. Lush, dense tropical vegetation, including tall bulrushes and thick jungle foliage, lines the far bank. The immediate foreground shows a narrow, worn dirt path along the water's edge, with exposed tree roots and scattered smooth river stones. The water is calm, with a few ripples near the shore. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Wild Fig Tree
A prominent wild fig tree in the woods, under which ripe figs fall and accumulate. The ground around it is where figs are usually scattered.
Mood: Initially a place of sustenance and relief for the hungry jackal, quickly turns suspicious and dangerous.
The jackal, avoiding the river, comes to the fig tree for food, where the alligator has hidden under a pile of figs. The jackal's suspicion and cleverness lead to another escape.
Image Prompt & Upload
A massive, ancient wild fig tree with a sprawling canopy of dark green leaves, its thick, gnarled branches reaching low to the ground. Sunlight filters through the dense foliage, creating dappled patterns on the dry, reddish-brown earth beneath. A large pile of ripe, purplish figs lies at the base of the tree, with more figs scattered naturally around. The surrounding area is sparse jungle undergrowth, hinting at a path leading away. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Jackal's House
A small, humble dwelling with a narrow doorway, located in the jungle. Inside, there's a bed made of a heap of dead leaves.
Mood: A place of supposed safety and rest, transformed into a terrifying trap, then a site of decisive victory.
The alligator hides inside the jackal's house. The jackal, noticing the disturbed doorway, tricks the alligator into revealing himself and then sets fire to the house, killing the alligator.
Image Prompt & Upload
A small, rustic dwelling nestled deep within a dense, humid jungle. The structure is simple, possibly a burrow or a hut made of natural materials like woven branches and mud, with a very narrow, irregular doorway. The ground around it is covered in fallen leaves and tangled roots. Inside, visible through the opening, is a bed of dried, rust-colored leaves. Outside, a large, haphazard pile of dead wood and brush is stacked against the doorway, ready to be set ablaze. The light is dim, suggesting late evening. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
