The Hare and the Well Written by Anna Kippley a Malawian tale

The Hare and the Well 2 The Hare and the Well One year there was no rain, not even a drop. All the rivers dried up, except the lake there alone was water. All the animals which were living in the highlands were having problems so the animals planned to go and dig a well. They decided to go dig the well in the wetlands. As chief I think we should dig the well here where the land is damp. We are in need of water. BABOON Who do we think should be the supervisor of the work? I think Lion should be the supervisor of the work. LEOPARD (Somewhat talking over ) It should of course be Elephant because he is the chief. I think Lion would do a good job organize it so that everyone would do their part. ZEBRA (Ignoring ) I agree Elephant is clearly the best man for the job. He is the wisest among us. Zikomo, We will all gather on Monday to start the work on the well. Meet here in the morning. Monday Morning Let's see who is here. (Like taking attendance) Zebra and his family, leopard and his family, turtle and his family, hyena, lion, impala, warthog, hippo, giraffe, baboon, monkey, Hare and... hmm. (to monkey) Monkey do you know where Hare and his family are? MONKEY He says his wife including his children and himself are sick. Do you believe this? Or is he trying to get out of helping us with work? Did you see if he was really sick? MONKEY No, but the one who gave me the message was his youngest daughter.

The Hare and the Well 3 Leave him, when we have dug our well he shall not have any of the water. Since the animals have no tools they for digging the wells they just stamped the earth with their feet so that when the earth softened and was ground to dust like this then scooping and throwing it on top. As they stamped they sang this song: ALL ANIMALS Let's stamp, for water, it's damp. let's stamp for water Let's stamp for water, it's damp, let's stamp for water We're tortured, it;s damp, let's stamp for water The sun came, it's damp, lets stamp for water it's damp Let's stamp for water BABOON I am tired. We have been stamping all morning. IMPALA I am tired as well. Chief could we rest a while? Let us take a rest for some lunch. There was not much food for lunch since they had no water. Everything we see that looked edible they ate. Even if they didn t know what it was. It is nice to rest for a while. Time to go back to work. GIRAFFE

The Hare and the Well 4 ALL AMIMALS Let's stamp, for water, it's damp. let's stamp for water Let's stamp for water, it's damp, let's stamp for water We're tortured, it s damp, let's stamp for water The sun came, it's damp, lets stamp for water it's damp Let's stamp for water They worked until the sun set. Good work for today we have made some progress. We will start again tomorrow. Gonani bwino. The animals went back to their homes to sleep. Then next morning they woke and went back to the well to work for the day. NEXT MORNING Mwauka bwanji. Ndadzuka bwino. ANIMALS (like taking attendance) Zebra and his family, leopard and his family, turtle and his family, hyena, lion, impala, warthog, hippo, giraffe, baboon, monkey, Hare and... hmm. Who lives near Hare did they see him today? I did not see him this morning. No, but he did give me a letter. Read me the letter. ZEBRA MONKEY

The Hare and the Well 5 MONKEY I am sorry I cannot come to work because I am very sick. Ooh, Alright, we shall just send a person to go see him at his house tomorrow. But we ourselves we shall work. The animals started to work on the well again, Singing their working song. ALL ANIMALS Let's stamp, for water, it's damp. let's stamp for water Let's stamp for water, it's damp, let's stamp for water We're tortured, it;s damp, let's stamp for water The sun came, it's damp, lets stamp for water it's damp Let's stamp for water LEOPARD The sun is almost down. We have worked all day and we have not reached water. We should be done with our work by tomorrow. We have done a great job for today. Gonani bwino. The animals had dug about 50 feet by the end of the second day. They still had some work to do. Warthog go to Hare s house and check on him and his family since they are not feeling well. Yes, Ma am. WARTHOG Since the sun was going down they returned to their homes for the night. Warthog went to check on Hare and his family. When he arrived he saw them playing hide and seek.

The Hare and the Well 6 Ready or not here I come! S SON 1 ( S FAMILY giggling) (clears throat) WARTHOG Oh you have come? No, sorry, indeed, it s only today that we feel well. We said since they say exercise strengthens the body we decided to play a bit. But even though we are like this we have really just got up from the mat, the mats are in the house. WARTHOG Oh, uh, alright, they just said I should come look you up. Have an nice night. The Third Day The next day the animals gathered to finish work on the well. (like taking attendance) Zebra and his family, leopard and his family, turtle and his family, hyena, lion, impala, warthog, hippo, giraffe, baboon, monkey, Hare and... hmm. Again Hare and his family are not present. Warthog did you go visit Hare last night after work? WARTHOG I found Hare yesterday playing hide and seek with his wife and children. He said that he was exercising to strenghten his body because it was only thath day that they felt well. I don t think Hare is telling the truth. TURTLE Let s continue digging the well. But Hare is not going to drink our water when we are done. (ALL ANIMALS agree)

The Hare and the Well 7 ALL ANIMALS Let's stamp, for water, it's damp. let's stamp for water Let's stamp for water, it's damp, let's stamp for water We're tortured, it s damp, let's stamp for water The sun came, it's damp, let s stamp for water It s damp Let's stamp for water The animals continued stamping and digging and throwing dirt outside the whole. The well had reached 100 feet once water was found. We have reached water! LION Let s try to dig further until the water is sixty feet high. ALL ANIMALS Let's stamp, for water, it's damp. let's stamp for water Let's stamp for water, it's damp, let's stamp for water We're tortured, it s damp, let's stamp for water The sun came, it's damp, let s stamp for water It s damp Let's stamp for water (Measures with a stick) Ah! There is enough water. Let s gather sticks, rope so that we can easily retreave water from our well. Each family should have a hollowed out gourd for collecting water. (ANIMALS look down at their feet to find the supplies they will need for the well.)

The Hare and the Well 8 Here are the sticks. Here is the rope. BABOON LEOPARD Does each family have a gourd? (ANIMALS all respond positivly) LION I think we should place a guard by the well. Hare is a cleaver person. He will try to come and get this water. IMPALA So today start with finding food to put here for the gaurd. TURTLE First gaurd should be Hyena, he should gaurd the well. As Hyena took first watch of the well the animals went home to sleep for the night. But Hare s friend the Monkey decided to go and tell him that they had finally finished the well. Hare, Muli bwanji. Ndili bwino. Kaya inu? MONKEY MONKEY Ndili bwino, Zikomo. We have found water and it is sixty feet deep. That is great news. Then I will go in the morning and fetch some for my family. MONKEY Since you did not help build the well the other animals do not want you to have any water from it. So they have placed a guard outside the well.

The Hare and the Well 9 Who have they chosen to guard the well? MONKEY Hyena is in charge of the well. When are the other animals coming to the well for water? MONKEY They come mid morning and mid afternoon to have water to cook with for lunch and dinner. Zikomo. Hare decided he would go to the well when the other animals were not there. The first day Hare went at lunch time. He killed his chicken and took it to the well. Moni, Hyena Who is that? Me, Hare. They told me if you so much as come near here you will be killed for food. No sir, come and see I have brought roasted chicken over behind this tree. Ah! Roasted chicken! Wait for me! I m coming! I thought it was just a joke. No, it s not a joke.

The Hare and the Well 10 But don t you need this chicken for you family? Now sir I have already eaten chicken with my wife. I ve had enough you can eat it. If you will excuse me I need to go to relieve myself. The hare went to his bucket that he had hidden behind a bramble bush. He took the bucket to the well and he drew water to fill the bucket. He placed this bucket by the wayside. He went back to the bramble bush and got a second bucket. He drew water from the well with this bucket as well and put it by the wayside. All the while Hyena was enjoying the chicken. Here is the water I drew from the well. Take it home with you. How will I carry two buckets? MOTHER Have one of the children help you carry it. Hare returned to the tree where Hyena was eating the chicken. You have done a good job. This chicken is delious. Because I was so hungry I ate it all. You had better go back to the well you wouldn t want people drawing too much water from the well. Hyena forgot that when he was told to guard the water it was from hare. And now he had been tricked by the same hare. Hyena returned to the well and a laid down guarding the water. After the Hare had given the water to his wife and son they journeied home. ZEBRA By the way Mother Hare what is that bucket of water you are carrying? MOTHER Ah, we went to the maize mill over there are we are carrying our food home in these. That s all.

The Hare and the Well 11 Hare s children were playing in the yard. Mother drew water, mother drew water. From where did she draw it? She went with father. SON 2 LEOPARD SON 1 The animals came back to drink and asked Hyena what had happened. Did Hare come to drink from the well? GIRAFFE He came but only to bring me chicken. He gave me two chickens and I have eaten them both. Didn t he draw any water? TURTLE No he didn t draw any water. When I was eating the chicken he said he had to relieve himself and he came back quickly. You have been tricked by the Hare. BABOON ZEBRA I saw his wife bringing water to his house today. His oldest son was carrying a bucket of water as well. LEOPARD His daugthers said that him and his wife drew water from the well. We must tell Elephant. WARTHOG BABOON Elephant we believe hare has taken water from the well.

The Hare and the Well 12 Did he come to the well? Yes, sir. He came indeed he said he pittied me because you had said you would come at two o clock with food and I sit here all morning. He brought me two roasted chickens. After he gave you the chickens what did he do? He said I am going to relieve myself. He didn t take long. LION That must be the time he went to draw the water. Why did you agree to go to the tree to eat the chicken? I was too excited by the chicken to remember to stay at the well. No, that was when drew the water. GIRAFFE You must make sure that if hare comes here to bring you food you must eat it there. You must not let him draw any water. Alright, I accept. After the hare used the water for cooking, washing, and drinking his family had used up their water. They didn t know what to do. Hare decided he must go pay Hyena another visit. He roasted goat meat and took it to the well.

The Hare and the Well 13 FOURTH DAY Moni, Hyena. Who is that? It is me, Hare. You should come here. You should come here. You should come here. I brought you meat. Oh, yes. I will eat here today. Hyena did not want to reveal to Hare that he had heard he had drawn water. He was afraid of being embarrassed. There is nice water here. It looks quite settled. No mud. Yes, that is the water. But you cannot have any because you did not help with the work. That does not concern me. I just came to bring you meat because I know you have much difficuties finding meat. You don t even know how to eat grass. Ah, we don t eat grass that s true. You little ones know how to treat your elders. Hare was now at his wits end. He left the well and went to the wayside. Here I will take off my skin. All but my head.

The Hare and the Well 14 Hare s skin could be removed and left behind. I will hide this here where noone will find it. There doesn t seem to be any ants that will eat it. Hare walked over to the well where he was sure that Hyena would see him. AHHHHHH! A skinned animal, a skinned animal. Hyena ran fast away. As he was running Hare took his bucket and filled it with water. He placed this bucket by the wayside. Hare had brough 5 bucket this time since he had 4 children and a wife Come bring the children back to get these buckets. We will take them shortly. MOTHER Hare then puts his skin back on and returns to where Hyena was. Ah you have finished the meat. Yes I have finished the meat. But I have just returned I ran from this place because there was something born like a hare but his whole body was red and how it scared me. I think it was a zombie. When I saw it had gone I returned. Ah, is that so. I just wanted to chat with you. I will be leaving now.

The Hare and the Well 15 The next day Hare s water usage was noticed by his neighbor. FIFTH DAY MOTHER Children come take the watering can and water the flowers. Yes mother. DAUGHERS The animals came to the well for water the next day and discuss how Hare is collecting the water. BABOON Hare is not short on water. Today I say his family watering the flower garden. Hyena tell us about yesterday. What happened? Yesterday I made sure to stay by the water. Hare did come and bring me meat. He said he was glad to help me because I had done great things in the past. I ate the meat there by the well. After I finished the meat the hare left. After a time there came a zombie from this side. But sir, it was red, the whole body was red like blood. You know that zombies are very spooky things so I ran away. I stayed away until I could not see the zombie anymore. Then I came and sat down again. The time that I left this place was the time that the zombie came. And it didn t even draw water. So Hare could not have drawn water. It can t be true. But please it is found that Hare still has access to water when he did not labor with us to dig the well. IMPALA It is obvious that there is no water found in any other place. The water is too far away for Hare to find it. LION We must do our best to capture him. WARTHOG The animals asked members of the Criminal Investigation Department to find out what happened. They told them to hide in the bushes and they left Hyena to guard the well again.

The Hare and the Well 16 Moni, Hyena Who is it? It is me, Hare. Please oh my friend have you come with food? Yes I have brought you cakes. After you came yesterday. Something came also that was scary. I don t know anything about the scary things. I just came to bring you food because if I do not you will surely die of starvation. Oh alright, Zikomo. But what should I do if the thing comes again? I do not know what to do about scary things. I am sorry, I cannot help you. Go ahead and eat the cakes. I am going. Hare went behind the bushes again and removed his skin. AHHHHHHHH! A skinned animal, a skinned animal. A skinned animal? CID 1

The Hare and the Well 17 CID 2 It looks like a hare, but there is the hare there. The Investigators had seen the hare with out his skin but had not seen how he took it off. They were not convinced that the zombie and the hare were the same thing. There was a zombie this much is true. CID 1 CID 2 It looked like a hare, but it did not look like a hare. CID 1 It had ears like a hare but it s body was red and covered in blood. This time we will hide you in different places. One hide on one side of the well in the bushes and one hide on the other side of the well in the bushes. Alright we will hide there. CID 2 The Ivestigators hide on either side of the well with Hyena still guarding the well. SIXTH DAY We have watered the flowers. We have taken a bath S DAUGHTER 1 S SON 2 S DAUGTER 2 We have so much water we could stay cool all day. Hare cooked some pork in oil for Hyena. He cooked it with onions so it smelled delious. He took the food to the well. Moni Hyena. Who is that?

The Hare and the Well 18 It s me, Hare. Come what have you brought me my friend. You are a very nice person. What is this? It is pork sausage. Oh yes very good. Zikomo. Now I have given you the food. I am off to see a friend on the other side of the river. He went to the wayside to take off his skin. He did not know that the Investigators were nearby. CID 1 He has removed his skin. Now I will put itching beans in his skin. Hare left his skin and went to scare Hyena. AHHHHHH! A skinned animal. A skinned animal. Hare drew water with his wife. All the while the Investigator watched what he was doing. He returned to where he left his skin and put it on. Ah! The skin feels funny. Hyena, help! I am being toutured here, toutured! You hare what has happened? Isn t that your skin?

The Hare and the Well 19 Yes my friend, but don t eat my skin. It is really me but I can t put my skin on it has itching bean in it. What have you done? Ah ha! We have caught you. You have been stealing the water. CID 2 CID 1 CID 2 You tricked Hyena into thinking you were a zombie. Now we will tie you up and get the Chief. CID 1 CID 2 You will go to jail for 10 years for what you have done. (They tie up Hare and take him off stage with his family crying)