How Isuro the Rabbit Tricked Gudu

Far away in a hot country, where the forests are very thick and dark, and the rivers very swift and strong, there once lived a strange pair of friends. One was a big white rabbit named Isuro, and the other was a tall baboon called Gudu. They were so fond of each other that they were seldom seen apart.Now one of the friends was a big white rabbit named Isuro, and the other was a tall baboon called Gudu, and so fond were they of each other that they were seldom seen apart.

One day, when the sun was hotter even than usual, the rabbit awoke from his midday sleep, and saw Gudu the baboon standing beside him.

‘Get up,’ said Gudu; ‘I am going to visit my future wifeI am going courting, and you must come with me. So put some food in a bag, and sling it round your neck, for we may not be able to find anything to eat for a long while.’

Then the rabbit rubbed his eyes, and gathered a supply of fresh green plantsgathered a store of fresh green things from under the bushes, and told Gudu that he was ready for the journey.

They went on quite happily for some distance, and at last they came to a river with rocks scattered here and there across the stream.

‘We can never jump those wide spaces if we are carrying all this foodif we are burdened with food,’ said Gudu, ‘we must throw it into the river, unless we wish to fall in ourselves.’ Isuro was in front of him and could not see what he was doing. Gudu bent down, picked up a big stone and threw it into the water with a loud splash.And stooping down, unseen by Isuro, who was in front of him, Gudu picked up a big stone, and threw it into the water with a loud splash.

‘It is your turn now,’ he cried to Isuro. And with a heavy sigh, the rabbit unfastened his bag of food, which fell into the river.

The road on the other side led down an avenue of trees, and before they had gone very far Gudu opened the bag that lay hidden in the thick hair about his neck, and began to eat some delicious-looking fruit.

‘Where did you get that from?’ asked Isuro enviously.

‘Oh, I found after all that I could get across the rocks quite easily, so it seemed a pity not to keep my bag,’ answered Gudu.

‘Well, as you tricked me into throwing away mine, you ought to let me share with you,’ said Isuro. But Gudu pretended not to hear him, and strode along the path.

After a whileBy-and-bye they entered a wood, and right in front of them was a tree so laden with fruit that its branches brushed the ground. Some of the fruit was still green, and some was yellow.its branches swept the ground. And some of the fruit was still green, and some yellow. The rabbit hopped forward with joy, for he was very hungry; but Gudu said to him: ‘Pluck the green fruit, you will find it by far the bestyou will find it much the best. I will leave it all for you, as you have had no dinner, and take the yellow for myself.’ So the rabbit took one of the green oranges and began to bite it, but its skin was so hard that he could hardly get his teeth through the rind.

‘It does not taste at all nice,’ he cried, screwing up his face; ‘I would rather have one of the yellow ones.’

‘No! no! I really could not allow that,’ answered Gudu. ‘They would only make you ill. Be content with the green fruit.’ And as they were all he could get, Isuro was forced to put up with them.

After this had happened two or three times, Isuro finally opened his eyes to Gudu’s tricks and made up his mindIsuro at last had his eyes opened, and made up his mind that, whatever Gudu told him, he would do exactly the opposite. By this time they had reached the village where Gudu’s future wife lived. As they entered, Gudu pointed to a clump of bushes and said to Isuro:However, by this time they had reached the village where dwelt Gudu’s future wife, and as they entered Gudu pointed to a clump of bushes, and said to Isuro: ‘Whenever I am eating, and you hear me call out that my food has burnt me, run as fast as you can and gather some of those leaves to heal my mouth.gather some of those leaves that they may heal my mouth.’

The rabbit would have liked to ask him why he ate food that he knew would burn him, but he was afraid, so he just nodded in reply. When they had gone a little further, he said to Gudu:only he was afraid, and just nodded in reply; but when they had gone on a little further, he said to Gudu:

‘I have dropped my needle; wait here a moment while I go and fetch it.’

‘Be quick then,’ answered Gudu, climbing into a tree. And the rabbit hastened back to the bushes, and gathered plenty of leaves, which he hid in his fur,gathered a quantity of the leaves, which he hid among his fur, ‘for,’ thought he, ‘if I get them now I shall save myself the trouble of a walk later.I shall save myself the trouble of a walk by-and-bye.’

When he had plucked as many as he wanted he returned to Gudu, and they went on together.

The sun was almost setting by the time they reached their journey’s end. Very tired, they gladly sat down by a well.The sun was almost setting by the time they reached their journey’s end, and being very tired they gladly sat down by a well. Then Gudu’s fiancéebetrothed, who had been waiting and looking out for himwho had been watching for him, brought out a pitcher of water—which she poured over them to wash off the dust of the road—and two portions of food. But once again the rabbit’s hopes were dashed to the ground, for Gudu said hastily:

‘The custom of the village forbids you to eat till I have finished.’ And Isuro did not know that Gudu was lying, and that he only wanted more food. So he sat hungrily looking on, waiting till his friend had had enough.

In a little while Gudu screamed loudly: ‘I am burnt! I am burnt!’ though he was not burnt at all. Though Isuro had the leaves with him, he did not dare to take them out, in case the baboon guessed why he had stayed behind.Now, though Isuro had the leaves about him, he did not dare to produce them at the last moment lest the baboon should guess why he had stayed behind. So he just went round a corner for a short time, and then came hopping back in a great hurry. But, quick though he was, Gudu had been quicker still, and nothing remained but some drops of water.

‘How unlucky you are,’ said Gudu, snatching the leaves; ‘as soon as you left, a great many people arrived. They washed their hands, as you can see, and ate your portion.no sooner had you gone than ever so many people arrived, and washed their hands, as you see, and ate your portion.’ But, though Isuro knew better than to believe him, he said nothing, and went to bed hungrier than he had ever been in his life.

Early next morning they started for another village, and passed on the way a large garden where people were very busy gathering peanutsmonkey-nuts.

‘You can have a good breakfast at last,’ said Gudu, pointing to a heap of empty shells. He was certain that Isuro would meekly take the portion he was shown and leave the real nuts for Gudu. But he was astonished when Isuro answered:pointing to a heap of empty shells; never doubting but that Isuro would meekly take the portion shown him, and leave the real nuts for himself. But what was his surprise when Isuro answered:

‘Thank you; I think I should prefer these.’ He turned to the kernels and did not stop eating until every one was gone.And, turning to the kernels, never stopped as long as there was one left. And the worst of it was that, with so many people about, Gudu could not take the nuts from him.

It was night when they reached the village where the mother of Gudu’s fiancée lived. She set meat and millet porridge before them.the village where dwelt the mother of Gudu’s betrothed, who laid meat and millet porridge before them.

‘I think you told me you were fond of porridge,’ said Gudu; but Isuro answered: ‘You are mistaking me for somebody else, as I always eat meat when I can get it.’ And again Gudu was forced to be content with the porridge, which he hated.

While he was eating it, however, a sudden thought darted into his mind. He managed to knock over a large pot of water hanging in front of the fire and put the fire right out.a sudden thought darted into his mind, and he managed to knock over a great pot of water which was hanging in front of the fire, and put it quite out.

‘ Now,’ said the cunning creature to himself, ‘I shall be able in the dark to steal his meat!’ But the rabbit had grown as cunning as he, and standing in a corner hid the meat behind him, so that the baboon could not find it.

‘O Gudu!’ he cried, laughing aloud, ‘it is you who have taught me how to be clever.’ He called to the people of the house and asked them to relight the fire. Gudu would sleep beside it, but Isuro would spend the night with some friends in another hut.And calling to the people of the house, he bade them kindle the fire, for Gudu would sleep by it, but that he would pass the night with some friends in another hut.

It was still quite dark when Isuro heard someone call his name very softly. He opened his eyes and saw Gudu standing beside him.It was still quite dark when Isuro heard his name called very softly, and, on opening his eyes, beheld Gudu standing by him. Gudu laid his finger on his nose as a sign to keep quiet and gestured to Isuro to get up and follow him. He did not speak until they were some distance from the hut.Laying his finger on his nose, in token of silence, he signed to Isuro to get up and follow him, and it was not until they were some distance from the hut that Gudu spoke.

‘I am hungry and want something to eat better than that nasty porridge that I had for supper. So I am going to kill one of those goats, and as you are a good cook you must boil the meat for meyou must boil the flesh for me.’ The rabbit nodded, and Gudu disappeared behind a rock, but soon returned dragging the dead goat with him. The two began to skin it. Then they stuffed the skin with dried leaves, so that no one would have guessed it was not alive. They stood it in a clump of bushes, which kept it firm on its feet.The two then set about skinning it, after which they stuffed the skin with dried leaves, so that no one would have guessed it was not alive, and set it up in the middle of a clump of bushes, which kept it firm on its feet. While the goat was being set up, Isuro collected sticks for a fire. Once it was lit, Gudu hurried to another hut to steal a pot, which he filled with water from the river. They planted two branches in the ground and hung the pot, with the meat in it, over the fire.While he was doing this, Isuro collected sticks for a fire, and when it was kindled, Gudu hastened to another hut to steal a pot which he filled with water from the river, and, planting two branches in the ground, they hung the pot with the meat in it over the fire.

‘It will not be ready to eat for at least two hoursIt will not be fit to eat for two hours at least,’ said Gudu, ‘so we can both have a nap.’ He stretched out on the ground and pretended to fall fast asleep. In fact, he was only waiting until it was safe to take all the meat for himself.And he stretched himself out on the ground, and pretended to fall fast asleep, but, in reality, he was only waiting till it was safe to take all the meat for himself. ‘Surely I hear him snore,’ he thought; and he stole to the place where Isuro was lying on a pile of wood, but the rabbit’s eyes were wide open.

‘How tiresome,’ muttered Gudu as he went back to his place. After waiting a little longer, he got up and peeped again, but the rabbit’s pink eyes were still wide open.‘How tiresome,’ muttered Gudu, as he went back to his place; and after waiting a little longer he got up, and peeped again, but still the rabbit’s pink eyes stared widely. Isuro was asleep all the time, but Gudu never guessed it. After a while, he grew so tired of watching that he fell asleep himself.If Gudu had only known, Isuro was asleep all the time; but this he never guessed, and by-and-bye he grew so tired with watching that he went to sleep himself. Soon after, Isuro woke up. Hungry too, he crept softly to the pot and ate all the meat. He tied the bones together and hung them in Gudu’s fur.Soon after, Isuro woke up, and he too felt hungry, so he crept softly to the pot and ate all the meat, while he tied the bones together and hung them in Gudu’s fur. After that he went back to the wood-pile and slept again.

In the morning, the mother of Gudu’s fiancée came out to milk her goats. She went to the bushes, where the largest one seemed to be trapped, and discovered the trick.In the morning the mother of Gudu’s betrothed came out to milk her goats, and on going to the bushes where the largest one seemed entangled, she found out the trick. She cried out so loudlyShe made such lament that the people of the village came running, and Gudu and Isuro jumped up also, and pretended to be as surprised and interested as the rest. But they must have looked guilty after all, for suddenly an old man pointed to them, and cried:

‘Those are the thieves.’ And at the sound of his voice the big Gudu trembled all over.

‘How dare you say such things? I defy you to prove it,’ answered Isuro boldly. And he danced forward, and did a somersaultturned head over heels, and shook himself before them all.

‘I spoke hastily; you are innocent,’ said the old man; ‘but now let the baboon do the samedo likewise.’ And when Gudu began to jump the goat’s bones rattled, and the people cried: ‘It is Gudu who killed the goat!It is Gudu who is the goat-slayer!’ But Gudu answered:

‘No,Nay, I did not kill your goat; it was Isuro, and he ate the meat, and hung the bones round my neck. So it is he who should die!’ And the people looked at each other, for they did not knowthey knew not what to believe. At length one man said:

‘Let them both die, but they may choose their own deaths.’

Then Isuro answered:

‘If we must die, put us in the place where the wood is cut, and heap it up all round us, so that we cannot escape, and set fire to the wood; and if one is burned and the other is not, then the one who is burned is the one who killed the goatthen he that is burned is the goat-slayer.’

And the people did as Isuro had said. But Isuro knew of a hole under the wood-pile, and when the fire was litwhen the fire was kindled he ran into the hole, but Gudu died there.

When the fire had burned itself out, and only ashes were left where the wood had been, Isuro came out of his hole, and said to the people:

‘See!Lo! did I not speak well? The one who killed your goat did not escape the fire.He who killed your goat is among those ashes.Explanation: The image of a victim reduced to ashes is softened for children. Gudu’s death by fire and Isuro’s false claim that this proves guilt remain.’