But there was no answer , not even a growl , for the hailstones had killed Big Lion . The little hare enjoyed himself vastly for some time , living comfortably in the hut , with plenty of food to eat and no trouble at all in getting it . But one day a great wind arose , and flung down the Big Lion 's half-dried skin from the roof of the hut . The little hare bounded with terror at the noise , for he thought Big Lion must have come to life again ; but on discovering what had happened he set about cleaning the skin , and propped the mouth open with sticks so that he could get through . So , dressed in Big Lion 's skin , the little hare started on his travels . The first visit he paid was to the hyaenas , who trembled at the sight of him , and whispered to each other , ` How shall we escape from this terrible beast ? ' Meanwhile the little hare did not trouble himself about them , but just asked where the king of the hyaenas lived , and made himself quite at home there . Every morning each hyaena thought to himself , ` To-day he is certain to eat me ; ' but several days went by , and they were all still alive . At length , one evening , the little hare , looking round for something to amuse him , noticed a great pot full of boiling water , so he strolled up to one of the hyaenas and said , ` Go and get in . ' The hyaena dared not disobey , and in a few minutes was scalded to death . Then the little hare went the round of the village , saying to every hyaena he met , ` Go and get into the boiling water , ' so that in a little while there was hardly a male left in the village . One day all the hyaenas that remained alive went out very early into the fields , leaving only one little daughter at home . The little hare , thinking he was all alone , came into the enclosure , and , wishing to feel what it was like to be a hare again , threw off Big Lion 's skin , and began to jump and dance , singing -- I am just the little hare , the little hare , the little hare ; I am just the little hare who killed the great hyaenas . The little hyaena gazed at him in surprise , saying to herself , ` What ! was it really this tiny beast who put to death all our best people ? ' when suddenly a gust of wind rustled the reeds that surrounded the enclosure , and the little hare , in a fright , hastily sprang back into Big Lion 's skin . When the hyaenas returned to their homes the little hyaena said to her father : ` Father , our tribe has very nearly been swept away , and all this has been the work of a tiny creature dressed in the lion 's skin . ' But her father answered , ` Oh , my dear child , you do n't know what you are talking about . ' She replied , ` Yes , father , it is quite true . I saw it with my own eyes . '
The father did not know what to think , and told one XXXXX his friends , who said , ` To-morrow we had better keep watch ourselves . '
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