The Hare's Assembly-Folktale

 

Once upon a time, there was a hare who desired to organize a significant rally that was not to be missed. This was to be the gathering ground for the wisest animals, a platform for deliberations. The criteria for being deemed the smartest animals were those who managed not to soil themselves after becoming full from eating. The hare sternly warned them to avoid such mishaps if they wished to participate in the much-discussed rally.

All the animals eagerly prepared to eat, drink, and showcase their intelligence to attend the hare's pivotal rally. They consumed so much food that exhaustion overtook them, causing them to fall into slumber. The hare, too, succumbed to weariness and drifted off, inadvertently soiling himself. In the dead of night, he awoke to the unpleasant realization of his mishap. Uttering "Nyivosavwa," which meant his excrement smelled foul, he swiftly collected the waste and deposited it in a container, grabbing a spoon. Methodically, he marked the tail of each animal using his excrement, then returned to sleep.

When the animals arose the next morning, an unpleasant odor filled the air. Believing they had all experienced the same mishap, they cried in embarrassment. The hare informed them that the meeting had been called off because the incident of soiling themselves indicated a lack of intelligence.

As the morning hours progressed, the animals were in for another shock. The hare instructed them to remain assembled before dispersing to their respective homes, as there was one final task to complete. Each animal had to tally the number of drinks they had consumed. Failure to do so resulted in either paying a tax to the hare for 12 months or performing arduous labor in his field. Unfortunately, none of the animals succeeded in the task. From that day on, most animals paid taxes, while those unable to pay toiled in the hare's field.

Thus, the hare cunningly lured the animals into overindulgence, scheming to amass a substantial fortune from nothing. This is why, even today, you'll never see a hare toiling away with work. It already possesses wealth from taxes and an unending workforce. The hare stands as the most intelligent among all animals in the animal kingdom, destined to retain this position indefinitely. Beware of individuals who promise abundant good only to capture your attention, all the while aiming to extract something precious from you.