“I am carrying a much larger load than you are,” said the Elephant.
“But I go so much faster than you do,” said the Rabbit, as he skipped along under his small load.
After a while they came to a river, and the Rabbit, who does not like to wet his feet, asked the Elephant to carry him across. The Elephant, however, said that he had a heavy enough load already, and he waded into the river.
“Oh, very well,” said the Rabbit, cheerfully, and finding a shallow place he hopped from one rock to another until he reached the far side.
When they came to the village, the people were glad to see the Rabbit, but they were afraid of the Elephant because he looked so cross.
“What will you give me for my nuts?” asked the Rabbit.
“We will give you these cowries,” said the people, and they took all his nuts. But they bought very little from the Elephant.
It was the same everywhere. The Elephant growled and grumbled, and rocked from one side to the other, and had very little success, while the Rabbit sold all his wares at good prices. In the end the Rabbit had a large bag of cowries and the Elephant had only a little one.
When they started home, the Elephant said: “It is not right for you to have the large bag and for me to have the small one. If any one should ask you, say that the large bag is mine.”
“Very well,” said the Rabbit.