Introduction

Last a few weeks ago, when I was in Myanmar I found a treasure at road side books shop which sell the old books with discount. It was the Burmese folk-tales book written in English version by Maung Htin Aung and published in 1948; one year after Myanmar had independent from British. So, I would like to share the forgotten treasure of Myanmar in steem when I unable to write my own original stories during busy days.

HOW THE RABBIT RID THE FOREST OF ITS TYRANT

KING Lion called all the animals together and said, “When I go out to hunt, I spread terror and panic among you all, yet I kill but one animal a day for food. If we can come to a mutual arrangement by which I get one animal every day, it will be of benefit to you because you will be released from an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty that prevails now in the forest and it will be of benefit to me also, because I shall not have to hunt anymore”. The animals approved of the Lion's proposal, and agreed to send one animal every morning at sunrise. Among themselves, the animals arranged that lots should be drawn every evening, and the one on whom the lot fell should go to the Lion the next day at sunrise.

For many days, the arrangement stood. The Lion stayed in his den, and the other animals roamed the forest without fear or anxiety; and every day at sun¬rise one animal went to the Lion's den and was promptly eaten. But one evening, the lot fella to the Rabbit, and he said to himself, “Why should I be eaten by the lion? I will think of a way to rid the forest of its tyrant”. So the whole night the Rabbit did not sleep, but sat thinking.
At sunrise, the Lion woke up and waited for his victim, but no' one turned up. He was just starting out for the forest in anger to accuse the animals of treachery and treason, when the Rabbit turned -up breathless.
“I presume you are my breakfast,” said the Lion. “Why are you so late?”

“My lord,” replied the Rabbit “have patience, for I have a tale to relate. As I was coming to you, I met another Lion, who proposed to eat me up, until I told him that I was on my way to you, the King of the Forest. At this he became very angry, and told me that you were the usurper, and he the rightful King. He let me go on condition that I should go round and tell all the animals that the rightful King of the forest had returned to kill the usurper.”
“Take me to that villain, that liar,” ordered the Lion, and the Rabbit led him to a deep well.
“Look down, my lord,” said the Rabbit, “for this is his den.” The Lion looked down, and saw his own reflection in the water. Thinking it to be the other lion, he jumped into the well with a roar of anger and was drowned. When the animals learnt of the Rabbit's exploit, they marvelled at his wisdom. And from that day onwards the Rabbit has been called `Wise Rabbit'.

Photo Credit: Google Image
Author: Maung Htin Aung
Steemed by: Henry Aung (Kachin)