The animals lived together without a king, but peace soon gave way to arguments and confusion. To bring order to the forest, the animals gathered in a great council to choose a ruler. Lion believed his strength made him worthy, while Wolf claimed he was wise and fierce, but the smaller animals feared being ruled by predators.

At last, Wise Old Owl suggested a race. Two miles away, beneath a great baobab tree, stood a royal stool. Whoever reached it first and sat upon it would become king. Hare, the fastest of all, was certain of victory. But hidden in his fur was tiny Chameleon, who secretly clung to Hare's tail and rode all the way to the finish.

Just as Hare reached the stool, Chameleon dropped down and sat on it first. By the rule of the race, he had won. But the animals were not happy. They saw that Chameleon had gained the crown through trickery, not honesty. One by one, they walked away, leaving him alone.