The story of the horned deer and the crocodile

There is a Javan flat-horned deer who likes to rest and play on a small hill next to the big river. The hill is surrounded by a low-lying area. When the rainy season arrives, the river overflows the low-lying land and rises to the vicinity of the hill. The top of the post is covered with dense figs, and the branches hang almost to the ground. The fallen leaves were blown into the river bay by the wind, and the ground was as clean as it had been swept.

　　On this day, the flat-horned deer was lying under the tree to rest again, chewing lazily, and fell asleep unknowingly. At this time, it suddenly began to rain heavily. The river swelled sharply, submerged the low-lying land, overflowed the hillside, and flowed to the place where the deer slept.

　　When the flat-horned deer woke up, it found that all its surroundings had been engulfed by water. It was very scared and didn't know what to do. What to do? The water in the low-lying land was so deep that it couldn't climb trees, and there was nowhere to jump; it dared not swim in the water - for fear of falling into the mouth of the crocodile, it could only hope that the water would fall quickly.

　　Just as it was frightened, a group of crocodiles swam towards it on the water. One of the largest crocodiles swam up to the horned deer and said to it through gritted teeth:

　　"Hey, little deer, we have met on a narrow road. See where you are fleeing this time! Come forward, hurry up! Do you still want to escape? Don't you want to hide in my stomach pouch? You are doomed today Can't escape. I'm going to execute you and entertain my friends with your meat. We're going to chew your last brittle bone. I can't get used to your tricks for a long time. I think your meat must be fat and tender, maybe it's better than a panacea!"

　　The deer thought to himself: It seems inevitable that he will die today. But it did not lose confidence and still has to fight for a way to survive. It said to the big crocodile:

　　"Who leaked my secret to you? How did you know that my meat can be used as medicine? So many of you crocodiles want to eat one of my fawns! Will this relieve your hunger? I'm too young for any of you to fill your belly anyway. But if you want to eat my meat as medicine, that's another story. You can come and eat me together, but the number of your crocodiles can't be too small."

　　"We have eighty here now!" said the big crocodile.

　　"Eighty? Too few! You will be unlucky if you eat me like this. You will definitely have a stomachache, get sick early, and die at night. If you are one hundred and fifty crocodiles and eat me together, then my The meat will work well, and all your crocodiles will live forever."

　　"You are talking nonsense!"

　　"Don't you believe it? Think about how people drink alcohol! Alcoholics don't live long, binge drinking is more harmful, but moderate drinking can make people happy. My meat is much stronger than wine, and I will die faster if I eat too much."

　　A crocodile shouted:

　　"You're talking nonsense before you die! We'll tear you to pieces now and swallow it."

　　The horned deer immediately walked up to the crocodile:

　　"Please, tear me to pieces! For me, it's the same whether I'm eaten by one crocodile or by many crocodiles, it doesn't make any difference! Please! If eighty crocodiles eat me, All eighty will die. The beasts of the world will applaud for this, and they will be able to hunt on the banks of the river as they please, and no crocodiles will get in their way again. I regret not breaking all this, but the words have been said., should not go back. Really, why should I talk too much? Why should I tell you this secret?"

　　The biggest crocodile says:

　　"I believe you are telling the truth. Well, I will send fifty crocodiles to find seventy crocodiles now. That will make one hundred and fifty. I will leave thirty to watch over you. Everyone will meet here in a while."

　　Fifty crocodiles split up to find their own kind. Some went ashore, some dived into the water, and soon they all turned around and summoned seventy more crocodiles. No more, no less, a full hundred and fifty. The low-lying pond was crowded with crocodiles, all with their mouths open, waiting to share the venison.

　　"Flat-horned deer, do you have anything else to say? We're all here." said the big crocodile.

　　"If you are indeed one hundred and fifty, no more, no less, then you can eat me. However, I want to ask: Are your numbers accurate?"

　　"I just counted it once, and it's exactly 150."

　　"If it's right, you're lucky; if it's less than 150, you're still unlucky."

　　"In order not to make mistakes, please count again!"

　　The deer said, "I believe in you. If the numbers are accurate, please tear me to shreds!"

　　The biggest crocodile hurriedly said: "No, don't worry, I'm really afraid that the numbers are not accurate, please check the numbers again!"

　　"If you're really worried, I can check it myself, but you have to line up, and the line should be neat, one by one. Line up from the low-lying area to the other side of the river. That way I can see clearly., so that no mistakes can be made."

　　"Okay, you don't have to worry, I'll give the order now and do as you order!" The big crocodile in the lead said.

　　According to the order, the crocodiles lined up in a regular line, with their heads, backs and tails all exposed on the water.

　　The big crocodile said, "Hurry up and count, be careful, don't make a mistake!"

　　The flat-horned deer said, "Please allow me to step on the backs of your friends, and they don't think I'm rude."

　　"It doesn't matter, this is for everyone's good too!"

　　The deer jumped on the crocodile's back and counted: "One, two, three... one hundred... one hundred and forty-nine!" He made the last leap, jumped on the river bank, and ran without a trace.