Now the lion stayed in the trap, but after some time the rope rotted and he got out, but he was weak and maimed and thin. After several days he caught a pala, and then he caught a zebra, and then he grew strong again.
Then he said, "Now I will go and kill that hare who took me in." So he went to the house of the hare, which was under a big rock, and seized the hare.
Now over the rock was a great boulder poised, and the hare said to the lion, "See, that stone is falling, it will kill us both." The lion looked up and saw the boulder and leaped from under it, but when he found that it did not fall he looked for the hare, but the hare had gone.
Then he sought for the hare many days, and at last he found where he lived in a cave, so he went in and sat there to wait for him till he returned.
And as the hare returned he saw the footprints of the lion on the path leading to his house, so he went and stood near the house and said, "Salaam, oh house." But the lion was not to be deceived, and he answered not.
Then the hare said again, "Salaam, house," and again the lion was silent.
So the hare said to himself, "Every day when I pass here and say, 'Salaam, oh house,' the house answers and says, 'And to you salaams,' but to-day it is silent; perhaps there is some one inside."
So the lion answered from inside, "And to you salaams." And the hare said, "Oh, lion, I hear your voice; you have come here to kill me."
Then the hare ran off, and the lion came out and went his way. Some time afterwards the hare met the lion in the way, and seeing that he could not escape he said, "I am tired of running away from you, old lion, so now I will come with you and be your servant."
The lion agreed, and the hare followed the lion.