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Jackal and Rabbit
Author - Mohammed Kuyu and Elizabeth Laird
Illustr
Illustration
ation - Jacob Kono
Language - English
Le
Level
vel - Longer paragraphs
© African Storybook Initiative 2016
Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0
Sour
Source
ce www.africanstorybook.org
Original sour
source
ce www.ethiopianfolktales.com
Jackal and Rabbit
Mohammed Kuyu
Jacob Kono
English
And so, the old man and Rabbit went Once upon a time, there was a hungry
away. Jackal.
They left the ungrateful Jackal trapped He tried to catch a bush rat, but the
by the rock. rat ran away.
16 1
He tried to catch a squirrel, but the "Good," said the old man. "Then it's all
squirrel ran up a tree. Then Jackal saw fair now. Run away Rabbit and go
a fat little mouse. "That mouse looks home. I'm going home too."
delicious to eat," he thought.
The mouse saw Jackal. It ran under a
big rock, and jumped into its hole.
"I must dig the mouse out of its hole,"
thought Jackal.
2 15
Rabbit pushed and pushed. The rock Jackal began to dig. But he dug too
fell back on to Jackal's paw. far and too deep. The rock fell down
on Jackal's paw. He couldn't pull his
"Did you find Jackal like this?" asked paw out from under the rock.
the old man. Rabbit nodded.
"I'm trapped! Help! Help!" Jackal
shouted.
14 3
Rabbit heard Jackal and ran up to The old man looked at Rabbit. "You're
him. "What happened to you?" she only a little rabbit, small and weak. I
asked. don't believe you could move that big
rock," the man said.
"I was hunting a mouse and this rock
fell on my paw. Please, kind Rabbit, "But I did! I did!" cried Rabbit. "Show
help me!" cried Jackal. me then," the old man said.
4 13
"The mouse I was hunting ran into its "I'd like to help you," said Rabbit. "But
hole, so I was digging it out. The rock I'm small and weak and this rock is
fell on to my paw," said Jackal. big and heavy. It will be hard work.
What will you give me if I help you?"
"Which rock?" asked the old man.
"This one," answered Jackal. "And "Oh, I'll make all your favourite dishes
where were you?" asked the old man. for dinner," replied Jackal.
"I was here," Jackal replied.
So Rabbit agreed to help Jackal.
12 5
Rabbit pushed the rock. It didn't "Oh, that's easy," Jackal said. "Come,
move. She pushed again and again let me show you."
and again.
So the old man went back to the rock
At last the rock rolled off Jackal's paw. with Jackal and Rabbit. "What were
Rabbit smiled. you doing?" he asked Jackal.
6 11
"Please don't eat me," the old man "Where's my reward?" asked Rabbit.
said. "Perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps "There's no reward. I'm going to eat
you are right after all. I can't decide you," snarled Jackal.
until I have seen the rock. What
happened exactly?" "But I helped you! You promised a
reward!" shouted Rabbit. "I'm a jackal
and you're a rabbit. Jackals eat
rabbits," snapped Jackal.
"Wait! We must find elders and ask
advice," begged Rabbit.
10 7
Jackal and Rabbit found an old man. "That's not right," the old man said.
"Jackal, you are ungrateful."
"Please help us," Rabbit said. "Jackal
wants to eat me but I saved his life. A Jackal opened his mouth. He showed
rock was on his paw and he couldn't the old man his sharp teeth. "No," he
escape. He promised to reward me. I said. "Don't try to stop me eating the
pushed the rock off his paw. He has rabbit, old man, or I'll eat you too."
forgotten his promise."
The old man looked frightened.
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