Timtom's foot slipped just then and thrown him flat on the ground. The
lion and the tiger therefore met in mid air, and each one thinking it
had hold of Timtom, tried to tear him to pieces, with the result that
in a few moments they had devoured each other instead of him.

The youth now strode rapidly through the wood, and was getting along
famously when he came to a high wall of jasper that completely blocked
his way. It was smooth as glass, and Timtom saw no way of climbing over
it.

While he stood wondering how he might overcome this new obstacle a gray
rabbit hopped out from the bushes and asked:

"Where do you wish to go, stranger?"

"To the castle of the sorceress Maetta," answered Timtom.

"Well, perhaps I can assist you," said the rabbit. "I need a new tail
badly, for my old one is merely a stump, and no use at all in fly-time.
If you will be kind enough to get me a new tail from the sorceress
Maetta--a long, nice, bushy tail--I will dig under the wall, and so
make a passage for you to the other side."

"I shall be pleased to return the favor by bringing you the tail,"
declared Timtom, eagerly.

"Very well; then you shall see how fast I can work," returned the
rabbit. Immediately it began digging away with its little paws, and in
a very short time had made a hole large enough for Timtom to crawl
under the wall.