Jock Of The Bushveld by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick (Chapter 20)( Page 8 ) Jantje

The Jackal asked that he might be Umpire for the Things of the Earth. "You are too small to be seen!" objected the Lion gruffly. "No!  No!" urged the Jackal, "I will stand on a big ant-heap and hold my bushy tail on high where all will see it shining silver and gold in the sunlight." "Good!" said the Lion.  "It is better so, perhaps, for you would never fight; and as soon as one begins to run, others follow!" The Things of the Air gathered in their numbers, and the Eagle led them, showing them how to make up for their weakness by coming swiftly down in numbers where they found their enemies alone or weak; how to keep the sun behind them so that it would shine in their enemies' eyes and blind them; and how the loud voiced ones should attack on the rear and scream suddenly, while those with bill and claw swooped down in front and struck at the eyes. And for a time it went well with the Things of the Air.  The little birds and locusts and butterflies came in clouds about the Lion and he could see nothing as he moved from place to place; and the Things of the Earth were confused by these sudden attacks; and, giving up the fight, began to flee from their places. Then the Jackal, believing that he would not be found out, cheated: he kept his tail up to make them think they were not beaten.  The Lion roared to them, so that all could hear, to watch the hill where the Jackal stood and see the sign of victory; and the Things of the Earth, being strong, gathered together again and withstood the enemy and drove them off. The battle was going against the Things of the Air when the Go'way bird came to the Eagle and said: "It is the Jackal who has done this.  Long ago we had won; but, Cheat and Coward, he kept his tail aloft and his people have returned and are winning now." Then the Eagle, looking round the field, said, "Send me the Bee." And when the Bee came the Eagle told him what to do; and setting quietly about his work, as his habit is, he made a circuit through the trees that brought him to the hill where the Jackal watched from the ant-heap. While the Jackal stood there with his mouth open and tongue out, laughing to see how his cheating had succeeded, the Bee came up quietly behind and, as Jantje put it, "stuck him from hereafter!" The Jackal gave a scream of pain and, tucking his tail down, jumped from the ant-heap and ran away into the bush; and when the Things of the Earth saw the signal go down they thought that all was lost, and fled. So was the Great Battle won!