In one country, it had not rained for many years. The plants dried up and the animals suffered from hunger and thirst. So the king of the elephants sent out scouts to look for a spring. Soon one of the elephants returned and said: "I have found a spring, it is called Mahchani, Moon Spring, and there is a lot of grass growing there." The king of the elephants immediately decided to take his herd to the moon spring. But there were many hares living at the moon spring. When the elephants moved to the water with their big feet, they trampled the bunnies' burrows and some of them died. The bunnies gathered together and the bunny king said: "You know how bad things have been for us since the elephants came to our spring. We must find a way to free ourselves from the elephants before more of us die." Then Peroz the bunny, who was known for his cunning, spoke up and said: "I will go to the elephants and get them to leave. Just give me one day."

The king of the bunnies agreed, and so Peroz went near the elephants, who were eating grass next to the spring. He waited until it was getting dark. Then he sat down on a rock and said: "King of the elephants, listen! The moon is sending me to you with a message."

"What does he have to tell me?" asked the king of the elephants.

"The moon wants to tell you that you and your people are polluting his spring. He wants me to warn you. If you do not leave the source of the moon, you and your people will lose your lives. If you don't believe me, I will convince you, come with me."

The bunny led the king of the elephants to the spring. By now it was dark, only the moon was shining brightly from the sky. "Welcome the moon to the spring," the bunny ordered.

The king of the elephants held his trunk in the water. The surface trembled and the reflection of the moon shook. "Do you see? The moon is angry with you and your people."

The elephant was frightened and called out: "O benevolent moon, do not be angry with us. We will go away tonight and not come back." So the herd of elephants set off that very night in search of another spring. The bunny, however, returned to his king as a hero.

Märchen aus Syrien, Fassung D. Jaenike, nach: F. Schulthess, Kalila und Dimna, Berlin 1911, englische Fassung Lysander Jaenike © Mutabor Märchenstiftung