It is said that in the older time the Creator distributed tails to all the animals. He set aside certain days for handing them out. First of all he sent messengers into all parts who cried out, “Come all of you to the Creator and get your tails.” All the animals went one by one, but the rock-rabbit was lazy and did not go. He asked the other animals to bring him his tail, and he did this again and again as the animals passed him on their way to get their tails. At last the tails were all quite finished, and the animals thanked the Creator. Then the rock-rabbit saw that all the other animals were complete with tails, and he was jealous because he felt he had nothing on. So he, too, went to the Creator and asked for a tail, but the Creator told him that there was none left. From that day to this the rock-rabbit has had no tail, simply because he was lazy and asked other to do his job for him. He took to living in caves because he felt he was not properly dressed, and when the other animals hold a festive gathering he does not go because he has no apron to clothe himself with.
The moral of this tale is to do things for yourself, and a proverb has come into being which says,
“The rock-rabbit lacks a tail through asked favours of other people.”
