“I’ll play dead,” Rabbit told Deer, “and you can sell me to the women working in the peanut-patch. Tie me loosely so I can escape. We’ll have a peanut feast!”
Deer sold the dead rabbit to the women. As planned, Rabbit wiggled free; then he and Deer feasted on peanuts.
When the women saw Rabbit was gone, they cried, “Oh! Someone stole our rabbit.”
The next day Rabbit said, “You play dead this time, and I’ll sell you.”
The women bought the dead deer.
“Look!” one woman shouted. “It’s still breathing.” So they beat Deer to death with their hoes.
[a Mwanga story from Zambia]
Inspired by: "The Rabbit and the Deer" in Chinamwanga Stories by Emmeline H. Dewar, 1900.
Notes: You can read the original story online. This story has the Namwanga text also; the stories come from the Mwenzo mission in Zambia.
I feel really sorry for the Deer as it wasn't her fault, it was all Rabbit and he got away with it
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