“You, Elephant, you take this brass hatchet of Mugassa’s, and split wood nicely for the hearth.
“Buffalo, you go and find a wood with a smooth bark and which burns well, and bring it to Elephant.
“Leopard, you go to the banana plantation, and watch for the falling leaf and catch it with your eyelids, in order that we may have proper plates.
“Lion, my friend, do you go and fill this pot from the spring, and bring water that Mugassa may wash his hands.”
Having issued his instructions, Rabbit went strutting into the village; but after he had gone a little way he darted aside, and passing through a side door, went out and came creeping up towards an ant-hill. On the top was a tuft of grass, and from his hiding-place he commanded a view of the gate, and of all who might come near it.
Now Buffalo could only find one log with smooth bark, and Dogs shouted out to Buffalo that one log was not enough to roast or to boil the meat, and he returned to hunt up some more.
Elephant struck the log with his brass hatchet, which was broken at the first blow, and there was nothing else with which to cut the wood.
Leopard watched and watched for falling leaves, but failed to see any.
Lion’s pot had a hole in the bottom, and he could never keep it full, though he tried ever so many times.
