The Hare and the Elephant: Once upon a time, a kind-hearted elephant was preparing to cross a rushing river. The river was swollen. Slung over his back was a heavy bag filled to the brim with delicious, sweet honey. Right at the water’s edge, he noticed a little hare looking nervously at the rushing current.
The Hare and the Elephant
“Could you possibly help me get across?” the hare asked politely. The elephant, being gentle and eager to help, happily agreed and told the hare to hop onto his back.
As the elephant carefully waded through the deep water, the hare noticed the bag resting right next to her. She peeked inside, discovered the stash of honey, and couldn’t resist. Without making a sound, she quietly gobbled up every last drop until the bag was completely empty.
The sneaky hare realized something important. The elephant would notice the missing weight immediately once they reached the shore. So, the hare came up with a plan. “Oh, look at those beautiful smooth stones in the water!” she called out to the elephant. “Could you pick a few up for me? I’d love to play with them when I get home.” The accommodating elephant used his trunk to scoop up some heavy stones. The hare then quickly slipped them right into the empty honey bag. This replaced the weight.
Finally, they reached the other side. The elephant carefully used his trunk to help his passenger climb down, but in a clumsy accident, his heavy trunk clamped down and accidentally snapped off the poor hare’s tail!
The hare was grateful to be across the river, but she was absolutely horrified to be completely tailless. She ran off and soon bumped into a large group of other hares. Knowing she stood out and that the elephant might come after her, she hatched another wild plan. She warned the group, “Listen to me! A dangerous elephant is coming, and he is going to finish off every hare he sees with a tail! You have to cut yours off immediately to be safe!” Panicking, the gullible hares believed her and quickly chopped off all their tails.
The elephant finally checked his bag. He only found his precious honey replaced by a pile of wet river stones. Furious, he marched off to track down the tricky hare.
He finally stomped into the clearing. He found the large group of hares and demanded, “Where is the tailless hare?!”
The hares simply looked at him and replied, “We are all tailless!”
He realized he had been completely outsmarted. There was no way to pick the thief out of the crowd. The frustrated elephant sighed. He turned around and walked away.
The Hare and the Elephant: The Takeaway
- Tricksters often think on their feet: Unlike fables with a strict moral compass, this classic trickster tale illustrates quick thinking. A little deception and blending in with the crowd can help someone escape the consequences of their actions!
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