Читать книгу Asian Children's Favorite Stories - David Conger - Страница 10

The Clever Rabbit

and Numskull

^India

Sulka’s whiskers twitched nervously. He tried hard to remember the happy days of long ago. He was once a sprightly young rabbit who spent carefree days bounding about with his friends and rummaging for snacks. But today was to be his last. He was not only going to face a lion, he was going to offer himself up as this terrible lion’s meal!

Be brave, he told himself, his chin quivering. You have had a long life surrounded by other rabbits who loved you. You have been blessed. Remember that you have to do this for the other rabbits—the younger ones who still have their whole lives ahead of them.

Smiling wistfully, Sulka thought of his wife and twenty-four children. Now they would never be in danger from the lion Numskull. All the animals were afraid of Numskull, and not only because he was fierce. No, lions were fierce by nature. The animals dreaded him because he hunted, chased down, and killed pretty much anything that moved—and very often he would leave his prey out in the hot sun to rot without even eating it.

To put a stop to all this random violence, the animals had decided that a select few would go to Numskull each day and sacrifice themselves for his dinner. This way the old and weak animals could go first, sparing the young and healthy ones. Although many animals would still die, they would at least die with the purpose of feeding another, and their deaths would not be meaningless.

Numskull, of course, thought that this was a great idea. He’d get all the food he could eat and never have to hunt again. “But if you don’t show up when you’re supposed to,” he warned everyone, “I will hunt you all, just as before.”

And so today was poor Sulka’s day to die. Although he had long ago accepted his fate, it still took all his courage to face Numskull. Every step brought him closer and closer to his death. Every breath was so shallow that he felt as if he were already dying. Numskull would have him for supper! He couldn’t imagine a fate worse than this.

A few more paces, and Numskull was towering over him. “You’re late!” he roared. “You are also much too small for a meal. There should be at least four of you to satisfy my hunger.”

Sulka shrank away from the raging lion, his eyes squeezed shut.

“For this I am going to go back to hunting,” said Numskull, “and I am going to start with rabbits!”

The thought of his children being hunted frightened Sulka even more than being torn from limb to limb by this bloodthirsty beast. Then, suddenly, Sulka saw a way out. With Numskull already getting ready to pounce on him, he worked out a plan that he hoped would save his life.

“O great King!” said Sulka, bowing to the lion. “Please forgive me. Please allow me to explain.” Sulka did not dare look up, but he felt Numskull’s hesitation. “We knew very well that a single rabbit would be too little for a meal for Your Highness, so they sent five of us.”

“Five,” Numskull repeated. “I see only one. Where are the others?”