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TABULATION OF FOLKTALES.
65
[No. 21.]
Title of Story.—The Hare, the Hyæna, and the Lion.
Dramatis Personæ.—Hare.—Hyæna.—Lion.
Abstract of Story.—(1) Hare, hyæna, and lion went into country, making a garden, planting it with eatables, returning to dwellings till they were ripe. After a while they started to look at things; garden long way off, hare suggesting if any one stopped on road should be eaten; others agreed.—(2) Hare
stopped first, but answered his companions' remark that he should be eaten, thus: "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," which they said was true.—(3) Again hare stopped, saying, "I am thinking about this: When people put on new clothes, where do the old ones go to?" His companions let him go, as before.—(4) Presently hyæna stopped, said he was thinking about nothing at all, so he was eaten. Lion and hare went to till they reached cave; hare stopped; lion said, "Let him be eaten." Hare said, "I am thinking about that cave; in old times our elders used to go in here and go out there." Hare went in and out many times.—(5) Lion followed example, but became wedged; hare got on his back, ate flesh. Lion asked him to eat him in front; hare said, "I cannot, my eyes are ashamed;" so he went away, leaving lion, and took garden himself.
Alphabetical List of Incidents.
Hare, hyæna, and lion go to see if vegetables are ripe.
Hare speaks (2) (3).
Hyæna eaten (4).
Hare leaving lion, takes garden (5).
Where published.
Swahili Tales, by Edward Steere. London, 1870. Story No. 8, pp. 327-329.
Nature of Collection,—whether:—
1. Original or translation.—Translation.
2. If by word of mouth, state narrator's name.—"Written out in dialect of Mombas for Dr. Steere, by Mohammed bin Abd en Nuri or Kathi (grandson of Sheikh Motu ed din, who was said by Capt. Burton to be the one learned man on the East African coast).
3. Other particulars.
Special Points noted by the Editor of the above.—Nil.
Remarks by the Tabulator.—Nil.
(Signed)Janet Key.
