Hare Teaches Hunter a Lesson

This story was collected from the Bari community residing in the IMVEPI refugee camp located in the West Nile region. The Bari people are a nilotic ethnic group primarily found in South Sudan and neighboring parts of Northwestern Uganda, and they speak the Bari language. Many of their traditional stories center around a hapless hunter, a cunning lion, and a quick-thinking hare who saves the day. This particular tale shares similarities with a common folklore narrative found throughout Africa. In the story, the hunter and the lion are both hungry, and the hare intervenes to help them resolve their differences, imparting a valuable lesson in the process.

The story unfolds with the lion falling into a trap and calling out for the hunter's assistance. In exchange for his freedom, the lion promises not to harm the hunter. However, just as the hunter is about to release the lion, Hare appears and teaches the hunter an important lesson.