The Elephant and the Hyena's Waterhole

During a great drought, the only water left was in a deep waterhole owned by the Elephant. The Elephant, being kind, allowed all the animals to drink, on one condition: no one was to muddy the water. All the animals drank carefully, except for the selfish and clumsy Hyena. The Hyena waded into the middle of the waterhole, splashing and fouling the water for everyone else. The Elephant was furious. He banished the Hyena from the waterhole. The Hyena, dying of thirst, went to the Hare for help. The clever Hare told the Hyena to find a large, hollow log. The Hare then sealed the Hyena inside and rolled the log to the waterhole. He told the Elephant, "I have brought you a musical log as a gift." The Elephant was pleased. But when the log was rolled close to the water, the Hare secretly opened a small hole, and the Hyena was able to drink. The story is a trickster tale that shows how cleverness can bypass even a powerful animal's rules, though it also reinforces the Hyena's reputation as a disruptive and disrespectful creature.