Page:Swahili tales.djvu/347

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THE HARE, THE HYÆNA, AND THE LION.

Once upon a time the lion arose, with the hyæna and the hare, and they consulted about going into the country to make a garden. And they went into the country, and made a garden, and planted eatables, and then returned to their dwellings and waited.

And when the time of the eatables ripening was fully come, they said, "Let us go to our garden, and look at our eatables." And their garden was a very long way off. And the hare said to his companions, "While we are going to the garden let us not stop on the road, and whoever stops let him be eaten." His companions consented to what he said.

So they went, and when they got upon the road the hare stopped. His companions said, "The hare has stopped, let him be eaten." The hare said, "Well, I am thinking." His companions asked him, "What are you thinking about?" And he said, "I am thinking about those two stones, one big and one little; the little one does not go up, nor does the big one go down." And his companions said, "These words are true."

And they went on again. When they got further on, the hare stopped again. His companions said, "The hare has stopped, let him be eaten." The hare said, "Well, I am thinking." His companions asked him, "What are you