Dog and hare are like cat and mouse, at least in the idyllic Hummelhausen by the Hummel River. The feud between the Dog and Hare families seems set in stone - until things take a different turn. It is a moral tale told by Rotraut Susanne Berner: a plea for tolerance filled with clever wordplay and illustrations. No one really knows when or why the conflict between the Dog and Hare families began, but one thing is clear: dogs and hares want nothing to do with each other. The dogs believe that the hares should get a taste of their own medicine, while the hares think that dogs are downright mean. During the annual big race on the Hare Heath, Hugo Dog and Hannes Hare are the main rivals. They race for miles neck and neck until they can go no further, as a terrible storm breaks out and lightning strikes on either side of them.