Meanwhile the Lion and the Rabbit had met.
The Lion gave a great roar and was making ready to spring, when the Rabbit said gayly, “How have you slept, Uncle? I am going to the great feast that the King of the Monkeys is giving, and I shall buy good things with some of these cowries. Don’t you want to come, too?”
The Lion thought that it would be much better to attend this feast than to eat a few mouthfuls of Rabbit; so he said, “Thank you, I shall be proud to go with you,” and they trotted along together.
Then the Buffalo came crashing through the bushes with his horns lowered, but the Rabbit said gayly, “Have you slept well, Uncle? I am going to the great feast that the King of the Monkeys is giving, and I shall buy good things with some of these cowries. Don’t you want to join us?”
The Buffalo thought that it would be much better to attend this feast than to gore the Rabbit; so he said, “Thank you, I shall be proud to go with you,” and they all went on together.
Then the Hyena slunk out of the tall grass and showed his teeth, but the Rabbit said gayly, “I hope you have slept well, Uncle. I am going to the great feast that the King of the Monkeys is giving, and I shall buy good things with some of these cowries. Will you not come with us?”
The Hyena thought that it would be much better to attend this feast than to pick the bones of a small Rabbit; so he said, “Thank you, I shall be proud to go with you,” and all four went on in company.
When they reached the forest where the King of the Monkeys lived, the Rabbit asked them to wait while he told the King who had come to his feast. He found the King of the Monkeys, and told the whole story and asked for help.
When the other three animals came up, the King of the Monkeys welcomed them graciously, and said to the Lion, “The feast is ready except for certain small things. Will you do me the favor to find me a log with smooth bark? That is the only sort of wood that will roast the meat which we shall serve at this feast.”
Off bounded the Lion to find a log with smooth bark.