On the bank of the river, in the wide steppe, lived a little Rabbit. One day he decided to show the big animals what he was capable of. Even if he’s small, he’s smart!
He went to the river bank, met Hippopotamus there and entered into a conversation with him. So, they say, and so, I am so strong that I can even move you, Hippopotamus.
The Hippopotamus laughed and didn’t believe it. And the annoyed Rabbit, leaving, promised to prove that everything he says is the pure truth.
The Rabbit went to the steppe to look for the Elephant. From a distance he saw a gray mass. Respectfully approaching the Elephant, he told him the same thing that he had just told the Hippopotamus. True, true, he will be able to prove his great strength. The Elephant laughed, shook his head and turned away from the Rabbit. And the Rabbit went to look for a long, thick and strong rope.
A few days later, the Rabbit came with a long, long rope to the Hippopotamus, tied one end of this rope to his leg and went to look for the Elephant to tie the other end to his leg.
And so both, the Hippopotamus and the Elephant, without seeing each other, simultaneously began to pull the rope, thinking that the Rabbit was pulling the other end. And although the Hippopotamus and the Elephant pulled with all their might, neither of them budged.
Meanwhile, the Rabbit kept running and running from the Hippopotamus to the Elephant, from the Elephant to the Hippopotamus, egging on one or the other: look, how strong I am! And you are so big and you can’t move me from my place. The Elephant and the Hippopotamus were simply losing their temper, trying to outdo the Rabbit. But in the end they fell to the ground from fatigue and recognized the great power of the Rabbit.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru