James Baldwin

The Hares

The Hares once had a meeting to talk about their troubles in life.

"We are always being frightened to death," said their captain. "Men and dogs and eagles and foxes keep us in such dread that we never have any pleasure. It would be better to put an end to our lives at once."

"Yes," said the others, "there is always something to make us afraid and unhappy. So, let us put an end to our lives at once."

And with that they all started on a fast run to the pond, for they thought that they would jump off a rock into the water and drown themselves.

Now it happened that several Frogs were sitting on the bank, and when they heard the Hares coming through the grass they were so frightened that they leaped one after another into the water.

"Stop!" cried the captain of the Hares. "Don't you see that the Frogs are afraid of us? They are worse off than we. Let us live a little longer."