The Well of Wit

The Clever Rabbit 🐇

In a dense forest, there once lived a tiger who spent his days and nights hunting.

All the other animals lived in fear of him because he was the biggest and strongest creature in the forest.

Day and night, they worried that the bloodthirsty tiger might hunt and eat them. The deer were afraid.

The monkeys were afraid. Even the red foxes were afraid. But there was nothing they could do against the cruel tiger.

The only animal that did not fear the tiger was the rabbit. She lived underground and only came out to eat when she was sure the forest was safe.

The rabbit was kind and generous, and she often comforted the other animals who were forced to live in fear of the tiger.

One evening, all the animals gathered for a meeting.

“What can we do about the tiger?” asked the worried monkeys.

“We are tired of living in fear,” said the red foxes.

Then the clever rabbit stood up and spoke to the others.

“I will deal with the tiger,” she said. “Leave him to me, and soon we will all live without fear.”

The animals were grateful, but most of them doubted that such a small creature could defeat such a large and powerful tiger.

“You’re too small,” they said. “How can you fight such a strong tiger?”

“Just wait and see,” said the clever rabbit, and she hopped off toward the tiger’s cave.

When the rabbit got close to the tiger, she was very frightened—but she gathered her courage and stuck to her plan.

“I came to warn you,” she said, “that there is another tiger in this forest even stronger than you!”

“That’s impossible!” roared the tiger. “I am the strongest tiger! I will eat you right now so you can never speak again!”

“But I’m telling the truth,” said the rabbit. “That other tiger has captured my brother and told me he’ll come back to challenge anyone who thinks they are stronger than

Him.”

“Show me where he is!” demanded the tiger. “We’ll see who’s stronger!”

“If I show you,” said the rabbit, “you must promise not to eat me or my brother.”

“I promise,” said the tiger.

So the rabbit and the tiger set off together.

After a while, the rabbit pretended to limp and said she was too tired to walk.

“I’m very tired,” she said. “Can you please carry me?”

The tiger agreed and lifted her onto his strong paw, continuing the journey.

Soon they reached a hill in the forest where there was a deep well.

“The tiger you want to challenge lives at the bottom of this well,” said the rabbit.

“And your brother is with him?” asked the tiger.

“Yes—but remember, you promised not to eat us.”

The tiger smiled and slowly walked to the edge of the well. When he looked down

Into the darkness, he saw his own reflection in the water and thought it was another tiger holding a rabbit!

“Now you must keep your promise and rescue my brother,” said the clever rabbit.

“I will do no such thing!” growled the tiger.

“I’ll eat both you and your brother and defeat this tiger who dares to challenge me in my own forest!”

But as the tiger roared, the rabbit quickly jumped away, leaving him alone.

The tiger, not realizing that he was seeing his own reflection, leapt into the well to attack his “enemy.”

Instead of another tiger, he found only cold, deep water. He struggled, splashed, and tried to climb out, but finally he grew weak and drowned.

“You may be big and strong,” thought the clever rabbit, “but that doesn’t mean you’re the most powerful.”

When the rabbit returned to the meeting place, she told the other animals the news of the tiger’s death.

“Now you can all live without fear!” she shouted.

All the animals were overjoyed and deeply grateful to the rabbit. That night, they held a great celebration, for the forest was finally free from the cruel tiger forever.

Question:

Why did the clever rabbit tell the tiger that there was another, stronger tiger in the forest? 🐯💭