Page 173 - 8th-language-english-2

hare nervously. ‘Don’t be stupid, come along,’ he shouted at the
poor hare. The hare, not daring to go near the bel tree, stood some
way off, and, pointing out to the lion the spot where he had heard
the terrible crash, said: ‘That exactly is the place I heard the crash’.
: to be republished
‘Do you live here?’ asked the lion. ‘Yes, I do,’ said the hare. ‘Well

do you know what caused that loud sound?’ ‘What else? It was
the earthquake, wasn’t it?’ ‘No’ said the lion in a tone of certainty.
©KTBS
‘What else? I really think that it must have been the cause’. The
lion did not pay any attention to the words uttered by the hare. On
the other hand, he paced towards the place under the palm leaves.
Looking closely, he found that a ripe bel fruit, not long before, had
fallen on top of the palm shrub. Now the lion understood everything.

He also made sure that there was no sign of any earthquake nearby.
‘Jump on to my back,’ said he without losing anymore time. The
hare sat on it, and within a few minutes, both of them were facing
the assembly of animals. The lion spoke to them : ‘Dear animals,
you need not have any fears. There was neither an earthquake,
nor any other calamity. Go back to your places, and live as you did
before’. All the animals thanked their king and went back to their
habitats. Imagine what would have happened if the king lion had
not gone to check the real fact.

glossary :
Not
shrub : bush

habitat place of living
terrified : afraid very much
shivering : shaking with fear
fleeing : running away

gazelle : small-eyed antelope
stampede : a mad rush
wild flight : running with great fear
frightened : afraid
huddled : crowded together

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