Why the

The animals lined up to cut their ears and

collect the fat, but when Hare’s turn came, he

Hare Runs Fast

refused. “I’ve changed my mind,” he said with
a smirk that angered the other animals.
The other animals went ahead with their
plan, and all went to dig a well. Because the
land was so dry, it was hard work and took
A long time ago, there was a terrible drought. many hours to dig deep enough to reach water.
No rain had fallen in months. The ground was
All the animals helped except Hare. When the
hard and dry. The animals were suffering
well was finished, the animals each had a long,
horribly because there was no water to drink.
satisfying drink. Then they lay down in the shade
Nothing would grow during the drought, so
to rest. As they lay in the shade they heard
there was almost nothing to eat. The animals
a loud, fearsome sound, which forced them
called a meeting to figure out a solution.
to run away and hide.
After hours of discussion, they agreed on
a solution. The animals would cut off the tips of
their ears and remove the fat that was stored
there. Then they would take the fat to the
market, sell it, and use the money to buy
a hoe. They would use the hoe to dig
a deep well, so that all the animals could
have water. Hare, who had the longest
ears of any animal, agreed to the plan,
but he had a tight smile on his lips
and an odd look in his eyes.

© Learning A–Z All rights reserved. Credits: right: Bradley Clark/Wilkinson Studios, Inc.
www.readinga-z.com
1
 Out of the bushes came
Hare, bumping a large,
hollowed-out gourd called a
calabash along the ground.
With the coast clear of the
other animals, Hare strolled
down to the well and took a big drink. He filled his
calabash, proud of himself for his cleverness. He
didn’t cut his ears and did not work on the well, yet
here he was benefitting from the water. He was so
pleased that he took a bath in the well, stirring up
dirt and mud, and then wandered away.
and greeted the doll. When it said nothing, he
cried, “Don’t be so rude, or I’ll have to slap you!”
When the doll didn’t answer, Hare slapped it
with his paw. Because the mud was sticky, his paw
stuck to the doll. When he smacked the doll with
his other front paw, it stuck, too. When he kicked
the doll, both his legs ended up stuck.
The angry animals came out of the forest
and saw Hare. “We’ll let you go this time, but if we
catch you near our water again, you’ll be sorry.”
That’s why the hare needs to run so fast.

When the other animals saw that the well was

muddied, they were enraged. To catch the culprit,
they made a doll and covered it with sticky mud.
When they heard the calabash sound again, they
hid and waited. Hare emerged from the forest

DID YOU
KNOW?
An American version
of this story is known
as “Brer Rabbit and
the Tar Baby.”

© Learning A–Z All rights reserved. Credits: left, right: Bradley Clark/Wilkinson Studios, Inc.
www.readinga-z.com
2