Folk Tales from Tibet (1906)/The Kyang, the Fox, the Wolf and the Hare
STORY No. VII.
THE KYANG, THE FOX, THE WOLF AND THE HARE.
One day a hungry Wolf was roaming about in search of something to eat in the upper part of a Tibetan valley far beyond the level of cultivation,[1] when he came across a young Kyang[2] about a year old. The Wolf at once proceeded to stalk the Kyang, thinking that he would make an excellent meal off him, and just as he was about to seize upon him the Kyang, noticing his approach, addressed him as follows:
"Oh! Uncle Wolf," said he, "it is no good your eating me now; this is the spring time and after the hard winter I am still very thin. If you will wait for a few months until next autumn you will find that I shall be twice as fat as I am now and will make you a much better feast."
"Very well," said the Wolf, "I will wait until then, on condition that you meet me on this very spot in six months' time."
And so saying he galloped off in search of some other prey.
When autumn came the Wolf started off one morning to meet the Kyang at the appointed place, and as he was going across the hills he came across a Fox.
"Good-morning, Brother Wolf," said the Fox. "Where are you going to?"
"Oh!" replied the Wolf, "I am going into the valley to meet a young Kyang by appointment, as I have arranged to catch him and eat him this very day."
"That is very pleasant for you, Brother Wolf," answered the Fox; "but as a Kyang is such a large animal you will scarcely be able to eat him all by yourself. I hope you will allow me to come too and share in the spoil."
"Certainly, Brother Fox," replied the Wolf. "I shall be very glad of your company."
And so saying the two went on together. After proceeding a short distance they came across a Hare.
"Good-morning, Brother Wolf and Brother Fox," said the Hare; "where are you two going this fine morning?"
"Good-morning, Brother Hare," replied the Wolf; "I am just going off to yonder valley to keep an appointment with a fat Kyang, whom I have arranged to kill and eat this very day, and Brother Fox is coming with me to share in the spoil."
"Oh! really, Brother Wolf," said the Hare, "I wish you would allow me to come too. A Kyang is such a large animal that you can scarcely eat him all yourselves, and I am sure you will allow a small creature like me to have a little bit of the spoil."
"Certainly, Brother Hare," replied the Wolf. "We shall be glad if you will accompany us."
And so the three animals went along together towards the appointed spot. When they got near the place they saw the young Kyang waiting for them. During the summer months he had eaten a quantity of grass and had now become very fat and sleek, and was about twice as big as he had been in the spring. When the Wolf caught sight of him he was much pleased and began to lick his chops in anticipation.
"Well, Brother Kyang," said he, "here I am according to agreement, ready to kill and eat you, and I am glad to see you look so plump and well. And here are Brother Fox and Brother Hare who have come along with me to have a bit too."
And so saying the Wolf crouched down ready to spring upon the Kyang and kill him.
"Oh, Brother Wolf," called out the Hare at this moment, "just wait one moment, for I have a suggestion to make to you. Don't you think it would be a pity to kill this fine young Kyang in the ordinary way by seizing his throat, for if you do so a great deal of his blood will be wasted? I would suggest to you, instead, that it would be a very much better plan if yon would strangle him, as in that case no blood would be lost, and we should derive the full benefit from his carcase."
The Wolf thought this was a good idea and he said to the Hare:
"Very well, Brother Hare, I think that is an excellent idea of yours, but how is it to be done?"
"Oh! easily enough," answered the Hare. "There is a shepherd's encampment over there where we can borrow a rope, and then all we have to do is to make a slip-knot in the rope, put it over the Kyang's neck, and pull as hard as we can."
So they agreed that this should be done, and the Fox went off to the encampment near by and borrowed a rope from the shepherd, which he carried back to where the three other animals were standing.
"Now," said the Hare, "leave it all to me; I will show you exactly how it is to be done."
So he took the rope and made a large slip-knot at one end and two smaller slip-knots at the other end.
"Now," said he, "this is the way we must proceed: we will put this large slip-knot over the Kyang's neck, and as he is such a large heavy animal the only way to strangle him will be for us three to pull together at the other end of the rope. So you, Brother Wolf, and you, Brother Fox, can put your heads through these smaller loops, and I will seize the loose end of the rope with my teeth, and when I give the signal we will all pull together."
The other two thought this was a very good plan, and so they threw the slip-knot over the Kyang's neck, and the Wolf and the Fox put their heads through the smaller loops. When they were all ready the Hare took up his position at the end of the rope and caught hold of it with his teeth.
"Now," said he, "are you all ready?"
"Yes, quite ready," replied the Wolf and the Fox.
"Well, then, pull," said the Hare.
So they began to pull as hard as they could.
When the Kyang felt the pull on the rope he walked forward a few paces, much to the surprise of the Wolf and the Fox, who found themselves being dragged along the ground.
"Pull, can't you!" shrieked the Wolf, as the rope began to tighten round his neck.
"Pull yourself!" shrieked the Fox, who was now beginning to feel very uncomfortable.
"Pull, all of you," called out the Hare, and so saying he let go of the end of the rope and the Kyang galloped off dragging the Wolf and the Fox after him. In a few minutes they were both strangled, and the Kyang, shaking off the rope from his neck, proceeded to graze quietly on his usual pastures, and the Hare scampered off home, feeling that he had done a good day's work.