The Hare with Many Friends

In a beautiful meadow surrounded by rolling hills, there lived a hare who was known throughout the countryside for being the most popular and well-connected animal around. Everyone seemed to like him, and he prided himself on having more friends than any other creature in the forest.

The hare was charming, entertaining, and always ready with a funny story or an amusing joke. At every woodland gathering, he was the center of attention, making everyone laugh with his witty comments and clever observations.

“I’m so fortunate,” the hare would often say to himself. “I have friends everywhere I go! There’s the horse who always greets me warmly, the bull who laughs at all my jokes, the goat who invites me to graze in his favorite spots, the sheep who shares the latest gossip with me, and the calf who looks up to me like a big brother.”

The hare felt very secure in all these friendships. Wherever he went, someone would call out his name in greeting. Every animal in the meadow seemed eager to spend time with him, and he was always invited to the best parties and gatherings.

“With so many friends,” the hare thought confidently, “I’ll never have to worry about anything. If I’m ever in trouble, all these friends will surely come to my aid.”

One peaceful morning, as the hare was enjoying the sunshine and planning which friend to visit first, he heard a sound that made his blood run cold: the deep, melodious call of hunting horns echoing across the meadow.

The hare’s ears perked up in alarm. Those horns meant only one thing—a hunting party was approaching, complete with horses, riders, and a pack of hunting hounds trained to chase down creatures exactly like himself.

Panic seized the hare’s heart as he realized the gravity of his situation. The hunters were getting closer, and he could already hear the excited barking of the dogs in the distance. He needed help, and he needed it immediately.

“My friends!” he thought desperately. “With all the friends I have, surely someone will help me escape or hide!”

The hare raced toward the horse’s paddock, his heart pounding with fear and hope.

“Horse! Horse!” he called out urgently. “The hunters are coming! You’re so fast and strong—please help me escape! Can you carry me away from here?”

The horse looked up from his grazing with a somewhat surprised expression. “Oh, hello there, Hare,” he said casually. “Hunters, you say? How unfortunate. I’m afraid I can’t help you, though. You see, I have very important work to do today. The farmer needs me to plow the north field, and I simply can’t disappoint him. Perhaps you should ask someone else.”

Shocked by the horse’s refusal, the hare didn’t waste time arguing. The sound of the hunting horns was getting louder. He rushed to find the bull, who was resting under his favorite oak tree.

“Bull! Dear friend!” the hare gasped, out of breath from running. “Please help me! The hunters are coming, and I need somewhere to hide! Can you protect me with your strong horns?”

The bull looked annoyed at being disturbed from his rest. “Hare, my friend,” he said with a yawn, “I sympathize with your problem, really I do. But you know how it is—I have my own concerns to worry about. The farmer has been talking about moving me to a different pasture, and I need to stay right here to make sure I don’t lose my spot. I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”

Desperate now, the hare ran to the goat, who was nibbling on some particularly tasty clover.

“Goat! You’ve always been so kind to me!” the hare pleaded. “The hunters will be here any moment! Can you help me find a hiding place in the rocky hills where you live?”

The goat looked up briefly, a piece of clover hanging from his mouth. “Oh, what a terrible situation, Hare,” he said, though he didn’t sound particularly concerned. “I wish I could help, but I’m expecting some very important visitors today—my cousins from the next valley over. I couldn’t possibly leave to help you right now. Have you tried asking the sheep?”

The hare’s heart was sinking, but he ran to the sheep, hoping for better luck.

“Sheep! Sweet, gentle sheep!” he cried. “You’ve always been so understanding! Please help me—can I hide among your flock?”

The sheep barely looked up from her wool-grooming. “Dear Hare,” she said in a distracted tone, “I’m afraid that’s quite impossible. You see, we sheep have a very strict policy about not getting involved in other animals’ problems. It could set a bad precedent. Besides, my wool needs attention, and I simply don’t have time for adventures today.”

Nearly in tears now, the hare made one last desperate attempt and ran to the young calf, who had always seemed to admire him.

“Calf! You’re young and quick!” the hare gasped. “Surely you can help me find a place to hide!”

The calf looked genuinely sorry, but shook his head. “I really would like to help you, Hare,” he said sadly. “But my mother has forbidden me from getting involved in any dangerous situations. She says I’m too young and inexperienced. I have to do what she says.”

As the calf spoke these words, the sound of barking dogs grew much louder, and the hare could see the hunting party cresting the hill in the distance.

Realizing that none of his so-called friends were going to help him, the hare had no choice but to rely on himself. Using his own natural speed and cunning, he darted toward the densest part of the forest, zigzagging between trees and leaping over fallen logs.

His knowledge of the terrain and his natural agility served him well. He found a small burrow beneath the roots of an ancient tree and squeezed inside just as the hunting party thundered past, their dogs following a false scent in the opposite direction.

As the hare crouched in his hiding place, breathing heavily and listening to the sounds of the hunt fading into the distance, he had plenty of time to think about what had just happened.

“All those friends,” he whispered to himself. “All those creatures who laughed at my jokes, who seemed so pleased to see me, who claimed to enjoy my company. But when I truly needed help, when my life was actually in danger, not one of them was willing to lift a finger to help me.”

When the danger had completely passed, the hare emerged from his burrow and began the long walk home, feeling lonelier than he had ever felt in his life.

From that day forward, the hare was much more careful about whom he called a friend. He learned to distinguish between those who enjoyed his company when times were good and those who would stand by him when times were difficult.

Moral: A friend in need is a friend indeed. It’s easy to have many companions when everything is going well, but true friends are revealed only in times of trouble. The quality of friendship matters more than the quantity.