When animals appeared in the forest, the most important thing among them was the elk. One day, in a forest clearing, an elk was talking to his wife. A hare ran past. He heard that the moose was talking to the moose cow, he crept closer, hid behind a stump, and listened.
“I have horns that I must distribute to the animals,” says the elk. “But there are many animals, but few horns.” Who should I give it to?
The hare listens and thinks: “It would be nice for me to get horns too. Why am I worse than others?
-Who should I give these horns to? - the moose asks his wife.
The hare just wanted to open his mouth, and the moose answered:
- Give these to the deer. It will protect itself from enemies.
“Okay,” says the elk. “Who wants these big ones?”
Here the hare could not stand it, leaned out from behind a stump and shouted:
- Give these to me, me, the hare!
- What are you doing, brother? — the elk was surprised. “Where do you want those horns?”
- How - where? - says the hare. - I really need horns. I will keep all my enemies at bay. Everyone will be afraid of me!
- Well, take it! - said the elk and gave the hare horns.
The hare was happy, jumped and danced. Suddenly a large cone fell from a cedar tree onto his head. The hare jumped up and ran! No such luck! It gets entangled in the bushes with its horns, cannot get out, and squeals in fear.
And the elk and his wife laugh.
“No, brother,” says the elk. “You have a cowardly heart, and even the biggest horns will not help a coward.” Get long ears. Let everyone know that you like to eavesdrop.
So the hare remained without horns, and his ears grew very, very long.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru