The Rabbit kept waiting for the sycamore seeds to fall, but instead they were blown away by the wind. So he went to the other animals and asked for food, but they all turned him down. Last of all, he went to the Bear and asked for something to eat. The Bear said, "If you'll bring me something I like, I'll give you some food."

The Rabbit went out to hunt something, but whatever he brought, the Bear didn't like. He couldn't find anything the Bear liked. So the Rabbit said, "I'll just have to go eat up old women's gardens. I'll eat up their cabbage and steal everything. They'll have their dogs chase me, but I can run fast and get away."

That's how it happened that the Rabbit chose garden vegetables for his food. That's why he is a garden thief.