how you
can all help to hurry the feast, for I am sure you are all anxious to
begin.

"You, Hyena, you must kill the cow, and dress the meat, and Dogs will
carry it in and lay it on the mats; but remember, if a bit is touched
before Mugassa commands, we are all ruined.

"You, Elephant, you take this brass hatchet of Mugassa's, and split wood
nicely for the hearth.

"Buffalo, you go and find a wood with a smooth bark and which burns
well, and bring it to Elephant.

"Leopard, you go to the banana plantation, and watch for the falling
leaf and catch it with your eyelids, in order that we may have proper
plates.

"Lion, my friend, do you go and fill this pot from the spring, and bring
water that Mugassa may wash his hands."

Having issued his instructions, Rabbit went strutting into the village;
but after he had gone a little way he darted aside, and passing through
a side door, went out and came creeping up towards an ant-hill. On the
top was a tuft of grass, and from his hiding-place he commanded a view
of the gate, and of all who might come near it.

Now Buffalo could only find one log with smooth bark, and Dogs shouted
out to Buffalo that one log was not enough to roast or to boil the meat,
and he returned to hunt up some more.

Elephant struck the log with his brass hatchet, which was broken at the
first blow, and there was nothing else with which to cut the wood.

Leopard watched and watched for falling leaves, but failed to see any.

Lion's pot had a hole in the bottom, and he could never keep it full,
though he tried ever so many times.

Meanwhile Hyena having killed the cow and dressed the meat beautifully,
said to Dogs, "Now, my friends, the meat is ready. What shall I do?"

"You can help us carry the meat in, and lay it on the mats, if you like,
for Mugassa must see it before anybody can touch it."

"Ah, but I feel extremely hungry, and my mouth waters so that I am sick
with longing. May we not go shares and eat a little bit? It looks very
nice and fat," whined the Hyena.

"Ah, no, we should not dare do such a thing. We have long ago left the
woods, and its habits, and are unfit for anything but human society; but
if you were allowed to eat any, you could fly into the woods, and we
should have all the blame. No, no, come, help us carry it inside. You
will not have to wait long."

The Hyena was obliged to obey, but contrived to hide in the grass some
of the tripe. Rabbit, from behind his