“The earth is cracking,” said the Rabbit, “and we run that we may not be swallowed up by it.”
But the Lion, who is the king of the beasts, did not run. He spoke again. “Which one of you is it who saw the earth cracking?” he asked, because he felt sure that there must be some mistake about it.
“It was not I, O King,” replied the Elephant.
“Nor was it I, O King,” said the Deer and the Fox and each of the Rabbit’s hundred Relations and his Father and his Mother, until all had spoken except the Rabbit himself.
“Is it true that the earth is cracking?” asked the Lion of the Rabbit.
“It is true, O King,” replied the Rabbit. “I sat under a palm tree thinking of what would happen to me if the earth were to break up. Suddenly I heard a loud noise as it cracked.”
“What a foolish Rabbit you are!” said the Lion.
“Then we must go back and see how wide the crack is,” said the Lion. “Rabbit, jump upon my back and show me the way.”
So the Rabbit jumped upon the Lion’s back and away they went as fast as the wind, while the other animals all waited for them. The Rabbit guided the Lion to the place where he had sat beneath the palm tree, and the Lion saw the cocoanut lying on the ground.