a water-snail was coming up-stream from the lower reaches, when a king-crow heard it. said the king-crow to himself: "who can it be coming up-stream that exclaims so loudly at the rapids? one might say it was a man, but that there is nothing to be seen." so the king-crow settled on a tree to watch, but as he could see nothing from his perch on the tree he flew down to the ground, and walked along by the water-side. and when he thought to see some man exclaiming, he caught sight of the water-snail.

"hullo, you there," said he, "where do you come from?" "i come from the eddy below the rapids," said the water-snail, "and i only want to get as far as the head-waters of this river." said the king-crow: "wait a bit. suppose you go down to the river-mouth as quickly as you can and we will have a wager on it." (now rivers are the water-snail's domain, in which he has many comrades.)

"what is to be the stake?" asked the water-snail. "if i am beaten i will be your slave, and look after your aroids and wild caladiums on which all water-snails feed." then the king-crow asked: "and what will you stake?" the water-snail replied, "if i am beaten, the river shall be handed over to you and you shall be king of the river." but the water-snail begged for a delay of twice seven days, saying that he felt knocked up after ascending the rapids, and the delay was granted accordingly.

meanwhile, however, the water-snail hunted up a great number of his friends and instructed them to conceal themselves in each of the higher reaches of the river, and to reply immediately when the king-crow challenged them.

the day arrived, and the king-crow flew off, and in each of the higher reaches the water-snail's friends replied to the challenge, while at the river-mouth the water-snail replied in person. so the king-crow was defeated and has ever since remained the slave of the water-snail.