The Pink Fairy Book, part 35 · page 21 2101Then the little hare said to the other beasts, ‘Now, shut the gate of the Animal Kingdom.’102And it was shut, and great stones were rolled against it.103When everything was tight closed the little hare turned to Big Lion and said ‘Now!’ and Big Lion bounded out of the ditch and tore the other animals in pieces.104But Big Lion kept all the choice bits for himself, and only gave away the little scraps that he did not care about eating; and the little hare grew very angry, and determined to have his revenge.105He had long ago found out that Big Lion was very easily taken in; so he laid his plans accordingly.106He said to him, as if the idea had just come into his head, ‘Grandfather, let us build a hut,’ and Big Lion consented.107And when they had driven the stakes into the ground, and had made the walls of the hut, the little hare told Big Lion to climb upon the top while he stayed inside.108When he was ready he called out, ‘Now, grandfather, begin,’ and Big Lion passed his rod through the reeds with which the roofs are always covered in that country.109The little hare took it and cried, ‘Now it is my turn to pierce them,’ and as he spoke he passed the rod back through the reeds and gave Big Lion’s tail a sharp poke.110‘What is pricking me so?’ asked Big Lion.111‘Oh, just a little branch sticking out.112I am going to break it,’ answered the little hare; but of course he had done it on purpose, as he wanted to fix Big Lion’s tail so firmly to the hut that he would not be able to move.113In a little while he gave another prick, and Big Lion called again, ‘What is pricking me so?’1 2← previousThe Pink Fairy Book, part 34next →The Pink Fairy Book, part 36↑ back to The Pink Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/35/page/2/