Rabbit said to Tortoise, "Let's steal sweet-potatoes while the people are busy drinking beer."
"Yes, let's!" said Tortoise.
After they dug up and roasted the sweet-potatoes, each one filled his bag.
Then Rabbit said, "We need to split up. I'll go this way, and you go that way."
But when Rabbit wasn't looking, Tortoise hid in Rabbit's bag.
Then Rabbit ran, shouting, "Tortoise is a thief! Tortoise stole the sweet-potatoes."
Inside the bag, Tortoise just laughed as he ate Rabbit's sweet-potatoes.
When Rabbit got home and opened the bag, Tortoise said, "You thought you'd trick me, but I tricked you."
Inspired by: "Hare and Turtle" in "Tales and Proverbs of the Vandau of Portuguese South Africa" published in the Journal of American Folklore by Franz Boas and C. Kamba Simango, 1922.
Notes: You can read the original story online, which also includes the Chindau text. The plot is a little more elaborate in the original with Rabbit proposing that they both go and shout and then come get their sacks; I thought it was easier just to have Tortoise sneak into the sack from the start.
I think Tortoise is the only one intelligent enough to trick Rabbit!
ReplyDelete