The Hare and the Hyena's Missing Tails

The Hare and the Hyena were always in competition. One day, they decided to see who was more tolerant of pain. "Let's make a big fire," said the Hare, "and we will sit in it. Whoever jumps out first is the coward." The Hyena agreed. They built a huge fire. But just before they jumped in, the Hare secretly tied the Hyena's long, bushy tail to a heavy log. They both jumped into the flames. The Hare, being small and nimble, immediately jumped out the other side, but the Hyena was tethered by his tail and was badly burned before he could break free. Furious and in pain, the Hyena declared a new contest: "We will see who can go longer without food." They had their tails chopped off and roasted them as a final meal before the fast. The Hare, however, only pretended to throw his tail into the fire, hiding it instead. During the night, while the Hyena slept, the Hare ate his own roasted tail. For days, the Hyena starved, growing weaker, while the Hare secretly nibbled on his hidden food supply. In the end, the Hyena gave up, defeated again. The Hare's cleverness had cost the Hyena his tail and his dignity.