MAN.  What dost thou mean?

ALLIGATOR.  What I have just spoken.

MAN.  Why dost thou look at me so?

ALLIGATOR (slowly).  Because—­I—­mean—­to—­eat—­thee.

MAN.  Eat me!

ALLIGATOR (nodding).  Eat thee.

MAN.  Me?

ALLIGATOR (nodding).  Thee.

MAN.  Thou didst promise to be my friend.

ALLIGATOR.  I was only fooling thee.

MAN.  But I helped thee out of trouble.

ALLIGATOR.  No matter—­I mean to eat thee.

MAN.  Is that the way to repay a favor—­by doing a wrong?

ALLIGATOR (nodding).  That’s the way of all the animals.

MAN.  Thou art surely mistaken—­not all the animals—­

ALLIGATOR (interrupting).  There’s not one of them remembers a favor or a friend when hungry.

MAN.  I cannot think that!  Suppose we ask the first animal that comes to drink?

ALLIGATOR.  Ask any of them—­I know what they will say.

[Enter the WOLF. He comes down the bank to drink.]

MAN.  Wolf, I would question thee.

WOLF (gruffly).  Well?

MAN.  How dost thou repay the one who doth thee a favor?

WOLF (gruffly, as before).  By doing him a wrong.

[The Wolf drinks and goes.]

ALLIGATOR.  Ha, ha, ha!  Just what I said!  Now I shall eat thee forthwith!

MAN.  I can’t believe that every animal would so answer.

ALLIGATOR.  I don’t intend waiting for thee to find out.

MAN.  I pray thee wait till the next animal comes to drink!

ALLIGATOR (impatiently).  Have I not told thee of my hunger?

MAN.  Listen!  Some animal comes through the forest now.

[Enter the LEOPARD. He comes down to drink.]

Leopard, I would question thee.

LEOPARD (curtly).  Well?

MAN.  How dost thou repay the one who doth thee a favor?

LEOPARD (curtly, as before).  By doing him a wrong.

[He drinks and goes.]

ALLIGATOR.  Ha, ha, ha!  It is just as I said!  I will now eat thee forthwith!

MAN.  I pray thee—­

ALLIGATOR (interrupting).  It is now all over with thee!

MAN (calling).  Help! help!

[Enter the RABBIT.]

RABBIT.  A word with thee, Ally dear!

ALLIGATOR.  I shall be busy for a few minutes, Brother Rabbit.

RABBIT (going down bank quickly).  Who is this thou art about to dine upon?  Why, ’t is the Man!

MAN.  How dost thou repay a favor, Brother Rabbit?

RABBIT.  Why dost thou ask?

MAN.  I found the Alligator in my garden this morning.  He had destroyed my plants, my fruits, and—­

ALLIGATOR (interrupting).  I was blown in by the cyclone last night.