So the woman took the liver and ate it all herself . Directly the last mouthful had disappeared she was seized with such violent thirst that she caught up a great pot full of water and drank it at a single draught . Then , having no more in the house , she ran in next door and said , ` Neighbour , give me , I pray you , something to drink . ' The neighbour gave her a large vessel quite full , and the woman drank it off at a single draught , and held it out for more . But the neighbour pushed her away , saying , ` No , I shall have none left for my children . ' So the woman went into another house , and drank all the water she could find ; but the more she drank the more thirsty she became . She wandered in this manner through the whole village till she had drunk every water-pot dry . Then she rushed off to the nearest spring , and swallowed that , and when she had finished all the springs and wells about she drank up first the river and then a lake . But by this time she had drunk so much that she could not rise from the ground . In the evening , when it was time for the animals to have their drink before going to bed , they found the lake quite dry , and they had to make up their minds to be thirsty till the water flowed again and the streams were full . Even then , for some time , the lake was very dirty , and the lion , as king of the beasts , commanded that no one should drink till it was quite clear again . But the little hare , who was fond of having his own way , and was very thirsty besides , stole quietly off when all the rest were asleep in their dens , and crept down to the margin of the lake and drank his fill . Then he smeared the dirty water all over the rabbit 's face and paws , so that it might look as if it were he who had been disobeying Big Lion 's orders . The next day , as soon as it was light , Big Lion marched straight for the lake , and all the other beasts followed him . He saw at once that the water had been troubled again , and was very angry . ` Who has been drinking my water ? ' said he ; and the little hare gave a jump , and , pointing to the rabbit , he answered , ` Look there ! it must be he ! Why , there is mud all over his face and paws ! ' The rabbit , frightened out of his wits , tried to deny the fact , exclaiming , ` Oh , no , indeed I never did ; ' but Big Lion would not listen , and commanded them to cane him with a birch rod .
Now the little hare was very much pleased with his cleverness in causing the rabbit to be beaten instead of himself , and went about boasting XXXXX it .
So at besides from in into of over through to