The Crow and the Lizard

A long time ago, the crow and the lizard were friends,

One day the crow said to the Lizard,

"Tattooing makes a person very beautiful. Let us get some soot and tattoo each other”

“I’d like that very much,” agreed that lizard.

So they found a pot of soot and went together to the river bank.

“You must make me pretty first.” urged the lizard. The crow agreed.

Taking a needle, he carefully made intricate markings all over the lizard’s body,

and then rubbed in the soot.

The crow said, “Now I have made you very lovely; you must decorate my body too.”

“Yes,” said the lizard “But first you must lie down and close your eyes so that I shall not drop soot into them.”

The crow stretched out on the ground and closed his eyes.

The lizard took up the pot of soot and emptied it all over the poor crow.

Then the lizard ran away leaving his companion beside the river.

That is why the lizard is covered with beautiful markings while the crow is a black as soot.