The Hare With Many Friends

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Aesop's Fable: The Hare With Many Friends

A Hare was very popular with the other beasts who all claimed to

be her friends. But one day she heard the hounds approaching and

hoped to escape them by the aid of her many Friends. So, she went

to the horse, and asked him to carry her away from the hounds on his

back. But he declined, stating that he had important work to do for

his master. " He felt sure, " he said, " that all her other friends

would come to her assistance. " She then applied to the bull, and

hoped that he would repel the hounds with his horns. The bull

replied: " I am very sorry, but I have an appointment with a lady;

but I feel sure that our friend the goat will do what you want. "

The goat, however, feared that his back might do her some harm if he

took her upon it. The ram, he felt sure, was the proper friend to

apply to. So she went to the ram and told him the case. The ram

replied: " Another time, my dear friend. I do not like to interfere

on the present occasion, as hounds have been known to eat sheep as

well as hares. " The Hare then applied, as a last hope, to the calf,

who regretted that he was unable to help her, as he did not like to

take the responsibility upon himself, as so many older persons than

himself had declined the task. By this time the hounds were quite

near, and the Hare took to her heels and luckily escaped.