The lion was feeling hungry. He looked about and spotted a hare nibbling grass on the side of the hill.
The lion crept slowly through the grass. The hare was munching away at the stalks and she didn’t notice the lion until it was too late.
A great hairy paw grabbed her. “Oooh,” squealed the hare, “I didn’t see you there, Lion! What are you doing?”
“I think I will probably EAT YOU,” growled the lion.
“You will find me very small and bony!” squeaked the hare.
“You look like a rather tasty little snack to me,” growled the lion.
“I know where you can find a much bigger meal,” said the hare.
“I know where you can find an animal as big as you!”
The lion paused. “As big as me?”
“Yes!”
“That would be a very nice snack.”
“It isn’t far away either,” added the hare.
“Mmm,” thought the lion. “All right. Show me this place. But if you try to run off I’ll grab you and swallow you down without even chewing!”
The lion loosened his claws and the hare hopped out of his paw.
Then she led him down the hill to a lake. When she got to the edge, she nodded into the water.
“Look,” said the hare. “There it is.”
The lion looked into the water and what do you think he saw?
He saw an animal just his size.
And, what’s more, when he growled, it growled back. When he snarled, it snarled back. And when he roared, it roared back.
The lion felt irritated with the rude animal in the lake. So he swiped a paw at it. And it swiped a paw back! That was just too much.
In a rage, the lion leapt at his own reflection.
Down he splashed into the cold, murky water.
That was how the hare escaped.
And that is why the lion and the hare are not exactly the best of friends.
