The animals are thirsty, as there isn't enough water to go around. But the hungry crocodile lurking in the river is in no mood to share. It has demanded a sacrificial offering to satisfy its hunger. The big animals all agree that a small animal has to be the sacrificed. To this end they want to catch Rabbit, but he darts away and finds sanctuary in a cave. Whilst searching for Rabbit, Buffalo surprises hungry Lion, who in turn chases Buffalo. He just manages to save himself – by slipping into the same cave where Rabbit is. When the animals decide to jointly take Lion into custody he himself has no option but to flee. And where might he find refuge…?
Even if Rabbit, Buffalo and Lion fear for their lives, the story ends with a big reconciliation. And thanks to Rabbit's clever idea there is plenty of water for everyone. The Tanzanian artist John Kilaka tells a fast-paced story about solidarity and cooperation. His pictures make the splendid best of the glorious colours and varied forms of the Tingatinga style of painting. A true feast for the eyes!

The author

John Kilaka (*1966) was born in the Southwest of Tanzania. Already as a boy he was very interested in painting: as a child he was doing sketches in the sand; in school he made drawings on the black board, much enjoyed by the pupils but not so much by the teachers. As a young man he first joined his father who was a fisher and hunter. But he could not forget his love for art and decided to move to Dar es Salaam. He did not have much more than a pencil in his pocket at the time … After studying the art of Tingatinga painting, he became one of the best known representatives of Tingatinga art. »Schneller Hase« is his fourth picture book for children, all of them have been published by Baobab Books in Switzerland.