This folktale explains why the hare’s nose is slit. The Moon sent an insect to tell humans they would die and live again, as she does. The hare intercepted, changed the message to say humans would die permanently, and delivered it. Angry, the Moon struck the hare’s nose, leaving it permanently marked as a symbol of his deceit.
Source
South-African Folk Tales
by James A. Honey, M.D.
New York,1910
► Themes of the story
Origin of Things: This tale explains the origin of death among humans, detailing how a miscommunicated message from the Moon led to the current human condition of mortality.
Trickster: The hare serves as a trickster figure, altering the Moon’s original message to humans, which results in significant consequences for mankind.
Divine Punishment: The Moon punishes the hare for delivering the wrong message by striking its nose, leading to the hare’s distinctive split nose as a lasting mark of its deceit.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Bushmen
Learn more about the Zulu people
The Moon, it is said, sent once an Insect to Men, saying, “Go thou to Men, and tell them, ‘As I die, and dying live, so ye shall also die, and dying live.'” The Insect started with the message, but whilst on his way was overtaken by the Hare, who asked: “On what errand art thou bound?” The Insect answered: “I am sent by the Moon to Men, to tell them that as she dies, and dying lives, they also shall die, and dying live.” The Hare said, “As thou art an awkward runner, let me go” (to take the message). With these words he ran off, and when he reached Men, he said, “I am sent by the Moon to tell you, ‘As I die, and dying perish, in the same manner ye shall also die and come wholly to an end.'”
► Continue reading…
Then the Hare returned to the Moon, and told her what he had said to Men. The Moon reproached him angrily, saying, “Darest thou tell the people a thing which I have not said?” With these words she took up a piece of wood, and struck him on the nose. Since that day the Hare’s nose is slit.
A Second Version
The Moon dies, and rises to life again. The Moon said to the Hare, “Go thou to Men, and tell them, ‘Like as I die and rise to life again, so you also shall die and rise to life again.'” The Hare went to the Men, and said, “Like as I die and do not rise to life again, so you shall also die, and not rise to life again.” When he returned the Moon asked “What hast thou said?” “I have told them, ‘Like as I die and do not rise to life again, so you shall also die and not rise to life again.'” “What,” said the Moon, “hast thou said that?” And she took a stick and beat the Hare on his mouth, which was slit by the blow. The Hare fled, and is still fleeing.
A Third Version
The Moon, on one occasion, sent the Hare to the earth to inform Men that as she (the Moon) died away and rose again, so mankind should die and rise again. Instead, however, of delivering this message as given, the Hare, either out of forgetfulness or malice, told mankind that as the Moon rose and died away, so Man should die and rise no more. The Hare, having returned to the Moon, was questioned as to the message delivered, and the Moon, having heard the true state of the case, became so enraged with him that she took up a hatchet to split his head; falling short, however, of that, the hatchet fell upon the upper lip of the Hare, and cut it severely. Hence it is that we see the “Hare-lip.” The Hare, being duly incensed at having received such treatment, raised his claws, and scratched the Moon’s face; and the dark spots which we now see on the surface of the Moon are the scars which she received on that occasion.
A Fourth Version
The Moon, they say, wished to send a message to Men, and the Hare said that he would take it. “Run, then,” said the Moon, “and tell Men that as I die and am renewed, so shall they also be renewed.” But the Hare deceived Men, and said, “As I die and perish, so shall you also.”
A Zulu Version
God (Unknlunkuln) arose from beneath (the seat of the spiritual world, according to the Zulu idea), and created in the beginning men, animals, and all things. He then sent for the Chameleon, and said, “Go, Chameleon, and tell Men that they shall not die.” The Chameleon went, but it walked slowly, and loitered on the way, eating of a shrub called Bukwebezane.
When it had been away some time, God sent the Salamander after it, ordering him to make haste and tell Men that they should die. The Salamander went on his way with this message, outran the Chameleon, and, arriving first where the Men were, told them that they must die.
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