We have had nothing to eat all night , and are very hungry . ' The shepherd yawned and rubbed his eyes . ` He is tied up to that tree ; go and take him . ' So they went to the tree and unfastened the cord , and turned to go back to the cave where they had slept , dragging the greyhound after them . When they reached the cave the jackal said to the hedgehog . ` Before I kill him let me see whether he is fat or thin . ' And he stood a little way back , so that he might the better examine the animal . After looking at him , with his head on one side , for a minute or two , he nodded gravely . ` He is quite fat enough ; he is a good sheep . ' But the hedgehog , who sometimes showed more cunning than anyone would have guessed , answered : ` My friend , you are talking nonsense . The wool is indeed a sheep 's wool , but the paws of my uncle the greyhound peep out from underneath . ' ` He is a sheep , ' repeated the jackal , who did not like to think anyone cleverer than himself . ` Hold the cord while I look at him , ' answered the hedgehog . Very unwillingly the jackal held the rope , while the hedgehog walked slowly round the greyhound till he reached the jackal again . He knew quite well by the paws and tail that it was a greyhound and not a sheep , that the shepherd had sold them ; and as he could not tell what turn affairs might take , he resolved to get out of the way . ` Oh ! yes , you are right , ' he said to the jackal ; ` but I never can eat till I have first drunk . I will just go and quench my thirst from that spring at the edge of the wood , and then I shall be ready for breakfast . ' ` Do n't be long , then , ' called the jackal , as the hedgehog hurried off at his best pace . And he lay down under a rock to wait for him .
More than an hour passed XXXXX and the hedgehog had had plenty of time to go to the spring and back , and still there was no sign of him .
Before So after as at by from of whether while