We startled a rabbit at Marr az-Zahran. The people chased it until they grew exhausted, but I caught up with it and seized it. I brought it to Abu Talha, who slaughtered it and sent its hip, or its thighs, to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said, "Its thighs, without doubt." He accepted it.I asked, "And did he eat from it?"He said, "And he ate from it." Then later he said, "He accepted it," meaning he did not eat from it.
أنفجنا أرنبا بمر الظهران، فسعى القوم، فلغبوا، فأدركتها، فأخذتها، فأتيت بها أبا طلحة، فذبحها، وبعث بها إلى رسول الله ﷺ بوركها أو فخذيها. - قال: فخذيها، لا شك فيه- فقبله. قلت: وأكل منه؟ قال: وأكل منه، ثم قال بعد: قبله. أي لم يأكل منه.
Bukhari related it in the Book of Gifts (2572), and Muslim in the Book of Hunting (1953), both from the hadith of Shubah, from Hisham bin Zayd bin Anas bin Malik, from Anas, as related above. The wording given is that of Bukhari. Muslim's wording is only, "so he accepted it," and does not include "he ate from it." The correct view is that he accepted it but did not eat from it, because there was initial uncertainty, and then it was established with certainty that he accepted it. His statement, "they were exhausted," means they had become tired.