Page:Swahili tales.djvu/391

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THE HARE AND THE LION.

The hare arose and went to look for food in the forest, and saw a very large calabash tree; and he looked up and saw a hive of honey, and he returned to the town to look for companions to come and eat with him.

And he passed by the buku's door, and the buku asked him in, and he sat down. And he said to him, "My father has died, and has left me a hive of honey, so let us go and eat it." And they went.

And he said to him, "Climb up." And they both climbed up, and ate honey. And they had carried burning straw, and they fired the bees, and they flew away. And they put out the straw, and ate the honey.

All at once the lion came out under the calabash tree. And he looked up, and saw people eating, and asked, "Who are you?" And the hare said to the buku, "Hold your tongue, that old fellow is mad." And he asked again, "Who are you, won't you speak?" And the buku was afraid, and said, "We are here."

And the hare said to the buku, "Take me and put me among the straw, and tell the old lion, 'Get out of the way, that I may throw the straw down, and I am coming.'" And the lion got out of the way, and the buku threw it, and as it fell down, the hare got out and ran away.