The Third Part of the Advent Riddle: Where is the Story of this Trio Told?
A garden under the sun? In what country do these three disparate companions make their way to it? (Illustration: Andreas Lechner)
17 December 2012
Three candles, three animals: In today’s fairy tale, we meet a hare, a hyena and a lion. Yet, the moral of the story is rather peculiar. Tell us where the fairy tale comes from and you will receive a very special Christmas greeting in the post.
The Hare, the Hyena and the Lion
A hare, a lion and a hyena planted a garden together. One day, they agreed that they should go there to see how their crops had grown, for it was the time of year when they hoped for a plentiful harvest. Since the way there was far, the hare proposed that they should not stop along the way, but keep on going without flagging.
“Whoever stops,” he added, “should be eaten by the others.” “Fine,” said the lion and the hyena, “we agree to that.”
And so they made progress and had put a long stretch behind them when the hare suddenly stopped in his tracks. The hyena cried, “Look, look! The hare has stopped! He has forfeited his life.” “I am thinking,” said the hare. “What about?” asked his companions. “I am thinking about those two rocks. One is large and one is small. Why does the small one not grow to be as large as its neighbour?” “That is a good thing to think about,” said the lion, and the hyena agreed. Then, they walked on. Again, the hare came to a halt.
“Look, look,” said the lion, “the hare has stopped! He has forfeited his life!” “I am thinking,” said the hare. “What about?” asked his companions. “When humans put on new clothes, what do they do with the old ones?” said the hare. “That is a good question,” said the hyena, and the lion concurred. Again, they made their way further. Then, the hyena halted.
“He stopped! He may no longer live!” cried the hare. “I am thinking,” said the hyena. “What about?” asked his companions. “About nothing,” he replied. So the lion and the hare devoured the hyena. The lion and the hare proceeded on their way. Once again, the hare stopped.
“You must die!” said the lion. “I am thinking,” countered the hare. “What about?” asked the lion. The hare pointed at a gap in the rocks and said, “Do you see that gap? Our ancestors once went in and out there, for inside the rock there is a spacious cave. I will go inside and when I return, I will tell you whether it is advisable for you and whether the cave is large enough for you to also enter it.”
The hare went in and when he returned he spoke to the lion: “Go inside as well.” The lion did so. But the gap was so narrow that he got stuck in it and could go neither forwards nor back. “You stopped, lion!” cried the hare. “You have forfeited your life; but I shall not take it.”
With that, he left the lion behind and proceeded to the garden, which now belonged to him alone.
A hare, a lion and a hyena planted a garden together. One day, they agreed that they should go there to see how their crops had grown, for it was the time of year when they hoped for a plentiful harvest. Since the way there was far, the hare proposed that they should not stop along the way, but keep on going without flagging.
“Whoever stops,” he added, “should be eaten by the others.” “Fine,” said the lion and the hyena, “we agree to that.”
And so they made progress and had put a long stretch behind them when the hare suddenly stopped in his tracks. The hyena cried, “Look, look! The hare has stopped! He has forfeited his life.” “I am thinking,” said the hare. “What about?” asked his companions. “I am thinking about those two rocks. One is large and one is small. Why does the small one not grow to be as large as its neighbour?” “That is a good thing to think about,” said the lion, and the hyena agreed. Then, they walked on. Again, the hare came to a halt.
“Look, look,” said the lion, “the hare has stopped! He has forfeited his life!” “I am thinking,” said the hare. “What about?” asked his companions. “When humans put on new clothes, what do they do with the old ones?” said the hare. “That is a good question,” said the hyena, and the lion concurred. Again, they made their way further. Then, the hyena halted.
“He stopped! He may no longer live!” cried the hare. “I am thinking,” said the hyena. “What about?” asked his companions. “About nothing,” he replied. So the lion and the hare devoured the hyena. The lion and the hare proceeded on their way. Once again, the hare stopped.
“You must die!” said the lion. “I am thinking,” countered the hare. “What about?” asked the lion. The hare pointed at a gap in the rocks and said, “Do you see that gap? Our ancestors once went in and out there, for inside the rock there is a spacious cave. I will go inside and when I return, I will tell you whether it is advisable for you and whether the cave is large enough for you to also enter it.”
The hare went in and when he returned he spoke to the lion: “Go inside as well.” The lion did so. But the gap was so narrow that he got stuck in it and could go neither forwards nor back. “You stopped, lion!” cried the hare. “You have forfeited your life; but I shall not take it.”
With that, he left the lion behind and proceeded to the garden, which now belonged to him alone.
You will find out the solution next Monday. Until then you can submit your answer. Our fairy tale from the first Sunday of Advent came from Sicily. The country we are searching for on the third of Advent is located on a continent that has fewer islands than all other continents. Another hint: The makers of the animated film The Lion King were inspired by this country. The names of the protagonists – such as Simba, Nala and Rafiki – are borrowed from a Bantu language. This language is also spoken where the tale of the three nameless companions is told.
Last week’s tale came from: Belarus. The devious witch is named Baba Yaga and sometimes Baba Roga and is one of the best-known creatures of Slavic mythology.
Back to the animal expedition of today’s fairy tale: Where is the garden to which the hare, the hyena and the lion make their way?
This riddle is already ended. The correct answer was: Kenya. The tale was retold to us by Hildah Atieno Nyakwaka. Another version of the story can be found in Nelson Mandela’s very beautifully made book Favourite African Folktales.
To find the next fairy tale from our Advent Riddle, click here.
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