Once upon a time there was a great drought in the country. So the animals all agreed to dig a deep well. This they did, and then went off to graze in the forest. A hare came along and filled his two gourds with water, and then dropped dung into the well. When the animals came back and saw the dung in the well, they were very angry, and kept asking one another who had done this dirty trick. The next day they went off to graze, but left the hippopotamus on guard. Along came the hare, carrying his gourds for water, and a small gourd of honey. He sat down and greeted the hippopotamus, who asked him what he had in his little calabash. The hare told him, and the hippo asked if it was good to eat. The hare dipped a feather in the honey and gave it to the hippo to lick. The hippopotamus was delighted, and asked for more. The hare agreed to give him more, on the condition that the hippo let himself be tied up fast to a tree. The hippopotamus was so greedy that he readily consented. After he was tied up fast, the hare drew water and threw some more dung into the well. When the animals came back, they laughed at the hippo for being deceived by the hare. Then all the animals took turn to guard the well, but the hare deceived them all and dirtied the well every time after he had drawn his water. At last the tortoise was left in charge. He lay in the water close to the edge and pretended to sleep. When the hare saw the tortoise was on guard, he laughed, and said, “I shall have no trouble in deceiving that old fool.” So thinking the tortoise slept, he started to fill one gourd. The tortoise seized it. Then the hare beat him with his disengaged hand—the other was gripping the gourd—but the tortoise seized him by the hand, the hare tried to kick him, but the tortoise seized his foot, then he tried to bite him, but the tortoise caught him by the teeth—in fact, the hare tried everything but the tortoise held on until the animals came and found them and killed the hare for his impudence. [Illustration: The Author and Lewanika] NYAMBI AND KAMUNU.