In the heart of a village, where red earth paths curled between huts and tall trees shaded the courtyards, there stood a grape tree unlike any other. Its fruit was prized, plump, purple-black grapes that gleamed in the sun and tempted every eye. This tree belonged to the village chief, a man of power and pride. No one dared touch the grapes, for the chief had forbidden it. Yet, as tales often remind us, where there are rules, there is always one who dreams of breaking them. That one was the hare.
The hare was clever, restless, and endlessly hungry for mischief. His eyes gleamed each time he looked at the grape tree, and soon he hatched a plan. He went to the chief and spoke in an urgent tone:
“Chief, a terrible wind is coming. It blows away all it touches, except the trees. Only if you are tied to your grape tree will you be safe from being carried off.”
The chief, proud but fearful, agreed at once. He ordered the hare to tie him tightly to the trunk of the tree. With careful knots, the hare bound the chief firmly, so that he could not move. Then, with mischief sparkling in his eyes, the hare climbed onto the chief’s back, using him like a ladder, and scrambled into the branches.
There, among the leaves, he ate. He ate until his belly was round, savoring grape after grape. But he was not satisfied. He called out to the other animals:
“Come, friends! The chief has declared that today we may all enjoy the fruit of his tree!”
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Believing his words, the animals came in droves. They, too, climbed up the chief’s body to reach the branches, filling themselves with sweet fruit. When they were finished, they climbed down over him again and returned to their homes. The chief, tied and helpless, could only seethe in silence.
The Chief’s Bargain with the Termites
While he hung bound to the tree, the chief noticed termites crawling nearby. Desperate, he called out to them:
“Save me! Free me from these ropes and I will reward you well. Tomorrow, come to my palace. I will have the animals killed and cooked, and you shall feast on them.”
The termites, eager for a feast, gnawed at the ropes until the chief was free. He promised them again, swearing that they would be rewarded.
But the hare, hidden in the bushes, had overheard everything. His ears pricked, he smiled slyly. This was not a plan he would allow to unfold.
The Hare’s Disguise
The next day, dressed in fine clothes and hiding his long ears, the hare went to the palace to join the feast prepared for the termites. He blended in so well that no one recognized him. Inside, he was served a grand meal. He ate heartily, devouring meat until he was satisfied. Yet, as he chewed, he carefully saved the bones, tucking them into his sack.
When he had eaten his fill, he lay down to rest. But his disguise betrayed him. A servant glimpsed one of his long ears peeking out, and word spread quickly:
“It is not a termite! It is the hare!”
The chief’s men raised an outcry. Startled awake, the hare realized he had been discovered. He bolted out of the palace with incredible speed. The chief sent dogs after him, but the hare was prepared.
As the dogs closed in, he threw them the bones from his sack. Distracted by the scraps, the dogs stopped chasing him and fought over the bones instead. The hare ran on, clever as ever.
The Hare Escapes Again
Covered in sweat, he reached a muddy patch and rolled in it until his fur was caked brown. Then he crouched under a tree, pretending to be someone else. Soon one of the dogs passed by.
“Is that N’ba-Walga, the antelope?” the dog asked, squinting.
The hare, his voice calm and steady, replied: “Yes, I am N’ba-Walga.”
“Have you seen the hare?” the dog pressed.
The hare pointed toward the horizon, where a cloud of dust rose in the distance. “There he is, running away!”
The dog gave chase in the wrong direction, and the hare slipped back to his home, safe and triumphant.
Moral Lesson
This folktale teaches that cunning and trickery can topple even the most powerful. The hare used wit to deceive the chief, to eat forbidden fruit, and even to escape punishment. Yet the story also warns that greed and deception leave chaos behind. The chief was humiliated, the animals were tricked, and even the termites were cheated of their promised feast.
The lesson is clear: cleverness may help one escape immediate danger, but when it becomes a tool for greed, it undermines trust and harmony in the community. True wisdom lies not in trickery, but in honesty and fairness.
Knowledge Check
Q1. What tree was central to this story?
A1. A grape tree owned by the village chief.
Q2. How did the hare trick the chief?
A2. He convinced him that a dangerous wind was coming and tied him to the tree.
Q3. How did the animals climb into the tree to eat fruit?
A3. They used the tied-up chief as a ladder.
Q4. Who freed the chief from his ropes?
A4. Termites gnawed through the ropes after the chief promised them a feast.
Q5. How did the hare escape the dogs?
A5. He distracted them with bones and later disguised himself in mud.
Q6. What key lesson does this folktale teach?
A6. That wit can outsmart authority, but trickery driven by greed has lasting consequences.
Source: Mossi folktale, Burkina Faso.
