Mary Eliza Isabella Frere (1845–1911) was an English author of the first English-language field-collected book of Indian folk tales.

"The Alligator and the Jackal" is the story of a jackal who narrowly escapes being eaten by an alligator on the banks of a river. Following this incident, the alligator is determined to catch the cunning jackal. The Jackal is equally determined not to be eaten. A series of close escapes escalates the feud until the dramatic finale.