The chameleon, despite its innocence, is an object of superstitious fear to the African, and they are disposed to regard it as superwise.
The chameleon challenged the elephant to run a race. The elephant was amused, for the chameleon is one of the slowest creatures in the forest. But finding that the chameleon was really in earnest, the elephant accepted the challenge. So the chameleon and the elephant set out on a long race through the forest. The chameleon only started and then immediately turned back; for he had arranged with different members of his family that one of them should be present at the end of each stage of the race. So at the end of the first stage when the elephant came dashing in, all out of breath, he found the chameleon already there.
“What? You here?” exclaimed the astonished elephant.
“Yes,” said the panting chameleon, “I just got in.”
“Aren’t you very tired?” said the elephant.
“Not very,” said the chameleon.
So they set out again. But the chameleon only started and came back, while the elephant ran on.
At the end of the next stage the elephant was again surprised to find that the chameleon had arrived a little ahead of him. And so it happened at the end of each stage until at last the elephant gave up, and confessed that the chameleon had outrun him.
In all African fables the various animals are but thinly disguised human beings.
The leopard bet his life to the antelope that if he would hide the antelope would not be able to find him. The antelope agreed, and the leopard went and hid in the forest. But the antelope found him very quickly. Then the leopard was very angry. So he told the antelope to hide and see how quickly he could find him. The antelope agreed, but he told the leopard that he would surely have his life.