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