There was a herd of elephants that roamed in the forest with their king. They were big and strong. So, most animals kept out of their way.
Once there was no rain, so the lakes and rivers began to go dry. The elephants were worried. They needed a lot of water and so did their calves. They went to their king with their woes and pleaded with him to find a way to help them.”
The elephant king remembered that there was a large lake in the forest with an underground supply of fresh water. He told the others about it. The herd began its journey to the lake.
One morning, they found themselves near the lake and rushed to the water. The mud-banks of the lake were soft and wet. Hares had made their burrows there. The elephant wounded or killed many of the hares and destroyed their homes. It was terrible!
The hares felt helpless. They hares met after the elephants had gone. They cried a lot. Then they started discussing what they should do to protect themselves from such an attack in future. “They are simply too huge and too many! But we must find a way, mustn’t we?” One little fellow piped up, “Can’t we frighten them off?”
“Yes, that is not a bad idea. Hmmm….. Let me think,” said an old hare. After a while he said, “You know elephants are slightly foolish creatures, though they are so big and so strong. They will believe anything you tell them. Shall we trick them?” The hares agreed.
“One of us will go as a messenger to the elephants. Tell the king, with best wishes from the Lord of the Lake, Chandrama, that this lake belongs to the Lord, who comes to it to see that his subjects, the hares, are safe and well. Chandrama has ordered that the elephants should not come there again if they want to live.”
A hare went off and waited on a hillock for the elephant herd to come. As evening came, he saw the herd coming. The hare called out to the king, “Sir, do not go to the lake again! Your lives are in danger. The Lord of the lake, Chandrama, has sent me to convey his order to you.”
The elephant was impressed by the words and wished to meet this great Lord. So, he asked the hare to lead him to the lake.
Night fell as the hare led the elephant king to the lake. The moon was reflected in the still waters of the lake. “There! That is the Lord! He is silently meditating. Don’t disturb him!”
The elephant, believing the hare, bowed to Chandrama, and left with his herd, leaving the hares in peace.
