A Third Version Of The Same Fable

: South-african Folk-tales

The Moon, on one occasion, sent the Hare to the earth to inform Men that

as she (the Moon) died away and rose again, so mankind should die and

rise again. Instead, however, of delivering this message as given, the

Hare, either out of forgetfulness or malice, told mankind that as the

Moon rose and died away, so Man should die and rise no more. The Hare,

having returned to the Moon, was questioned as to the message delivered,

and the Moon, having heard the true state of the case, became so enraged

with him that she took up a hatchet to split his head; falling short,

however, of that, the hatchet fell upon the upper lip of the Hare, and

cut it severely. Hence it is that we see the "Hare-lip." The Hare, being

duly incensed at having received such treatment, raised his claws, and

scratched the Moon's face; and the dark spots which we now see on the

surface of the Moon are the scars which she received on that occasion.



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