English Original
But Tembo wouldn't listen. He was thinking of his own children. They would be safe, but only if he could find other animals for Kali to gobble up.
Outside Kali's palace, Hare stood shaking and cringing. He had to think of something fast.
"Maybe I can escape by jumping in the water-hole," he said. But when he looked down and saw his own reflection shivering on the pool's surface, he stopped in his tracks. Already Kali had spotted him.
"Come inside, Hare!" roared the lion. "I can't wait to eat the only one who didn't vote for me."
But Hare didn't move. He felt braver now and called back, "But Majesty," he wheedled. "I am very confused. I can see two kings. Please tell me, which of you is to eat me?"
"TWO KINGS!" snapped Kali angrily. "What do you mean two kings?" In one bound, he was breathing down on Hare.
"Well, there's you, Majesty," stammered Hare, "and there's that other one down there." Hare pointed down into the water-hole.
Kali looked and Kali saw. What — another lion?
"I'll have no rivals!" cried the cruel one, and at once he leaped on the other lion. Down into the pool sank Kali as he tried to grab his enemy. Soon the waters closed over him, and he was gone.
"You've killed our king," said Tembo the elephant in amazement.
"No, I didn't," said Hare. "Anyone could see that he jumped into the water-hole all by himself. Besides, you didn't think I was going to stand here and be eaten, did you? That would be as foolish as choosing a bully for a king!" And with that, he ran away before anyone else could think of eating him.
"Whew! That WAS a close shave," said Hare from the safety of his baobab tree. "But I'll bet those silly animals will send old rhino round to ask ME to be the king. Some people never learn."
And so it happened. Just as Hare was dropping off to sleep, there was a boom, boom, booming across the plains. "Oh no!" he sighed. "Why am I always right?" He flattened his ears, closed his eyes tighter, and pretended to snore. "Anyone can see I'm much too busy to be king. Much, much too busy."
中文翻译
但坦博听不进去。他只想着自己的孩子。只有为卡利找到其他动物来吞食，他的孩子们才会安全。
在卡利的宫殿外，兔子站着发抖，畏缩不前。他必须快点想出办法。
“也许我可以跳进水坑逃跑，”他说。但当他低头看到自己在池水表面颤抖的倒影时，他停下了脚步。卡利已经发现了他。
“进来，兔子！”狮子吼道，“我等不及要吃掉唯一没给我投票的家伙了。”
但兔子没有动。他现在感觉勇敢了一些，回应道：“但是，陛下，”他谄媚地说，“我非常困惑。我能看到两位国王。请告诉我，你们哪一位要吃我？”
“两位国王！”卡利愤怒地厉声说，“你说两位国王是什么意思？”他一个箭步冲到兔子面前，气息喷在兔子身上。
“嗯，有您，陛下，”兔子结结巴巴地说，“还有下面那一位。”兔子指向水坑下面。
卡利一看，卡利看到了。什么——另一头狮子？
“我绝不容忍对手！”残忍的狮子喊道，立刻扑向了水中的狮子。卡利试图抓住他的敌人，沉入了水坑。很快，水面合拢，他消失了。
“你杀了我们的国王，”大象坦博惊讶地说。
“不，我没有，”兔子说，“谁都看得出他是自己跳进水坑的。再说了，你们不会以为我会站在这里等着被吃吧？那就像选一个恶霸当国王一样愚蠢！”说完，他趁其他动物还没想到要吃他，就跑掉了。
“呼！真是千钧一发，”兔子在他安全的猴面包树上说，“但我敢打赌，那些愚蠢的动物会派老犀牛来请我当国王。有些人就是永远学不乖。”
事情果然如此。就在兔子快要睡着的时候，平原上传来“咚、咚、咚”的巨响。“哦，不！”他叹了口气，“为什么我总是对的？”他贴平耳朵，闭紧眼睛，假装打鼾。“谁都看得出我忙得不可开交，没空当国王。真的，真的忙得不可开交。”