Etiological sakme
folkloric
origin of an animal trait, hare’s fearfulness, sheep, laughter, split lip
The sakme
An old woman was grazing sheep and saw a hare sitting on another stone. The hare was crying because, he complained, no one was afraid of him.
He said he was going to drown himself, but the old woman stopped him. She told him to wait until the sheep came near and then jump out from behind the stone.
The hare did just that. The sheep were frightened and ran. The hare found it so funny that he began laughing and laughing until his little lip split.
From that time onward the hare’s lip has remained split.
Interpretation: what does the hare’s lip mean?
This is an etiological sakme explaining an animal’s bodily trait. It does not seek a biological explanation, but creates a funny and memorable origin story.
The hare is often considered a timid animal, but here he wants to be frightening. The humor comes from the fact that he scares sheep, which are not very brave themselves.
The split lip becomes a trace of laughter. A body form is explained as the result of excessive emotion.
History, variants, and recording
Sakmes explaining the origins of animal traits are an important group of etiological sakmes. They tell why an animal has a particular color, voice, gait, or body part.
Such texts are often short and playful. They were suitable for children, but they also reflect the old habit of explaining signs in nature through story.
The plot of a hare that frightens even more timid animals, such as sheep or frogs, and tears its lip from laughter is an international “why?” legend known among many peoples. Lithuanian etiological sakmes are classified in Bronislava Kerbelytė’s catalogue (Lietuvių pasakojamosios tautosakos katalogas, vol. 3, 2002).
Humor in etiological sakmes
Not all sakmes are frightening. Etiological stories about animals often use laughter, exaggeration, and an unexpected ending.
"Why the Hare Has a Split Lip" shows that folklore can also be a gentle game of observing nature.