Jackal and Hyena discovered a cloud they could eat like fat. Jackal descended safely with Hyena’s help but betrayed her when it was her turn. Pretending to be injured, he moved aside, causing Hyena to fall and injure herself. The story explains why, according to legend, Hyena’s hind legs are shorter than her front ones.
Source
South-African Folk Tales
by James A. Honey, M.D.
New York,1910
► Themes of the story
Trickster: The Jackal embodies the trickster archetype, using cunning to deceive the Hyena.
Origin of Things: The tale explains the physical characteristic of the Hyena’s shorter hind legs as a result of the Jackal’s trickery.
Moral Lessons: The story imparts a lesson on the consequences of betrayal and the importance of trust.
► From the same Region or People
Jackal and Hyena were together, it is said, when a white cloud rose. Jackal descended upon it, and ate of the cloud as if it were fat. When he wanted to come down, he said to Hyena, “My sister, as I am going to divide with thee, catch me well.” So she caught him, and broke his fall. Then she also went up and ate there, high up on the top of the cloud.
When she was satisfied, she said, “My greyish brother, now catch me well.” The greyish rogue said to his friend, “My sister, I shall catch thee well. Come therefore down.”
► Continue reading…
He held up his hands, and she came down from the cloud, and when she was near, Jackal cried out (painfully jumping to one side), “My sister, do not take it ill. Oh me! Oh me! A thorn has pricked me and sticks in me.” Thus she fell down from above, and was sadly hurt.
Since that day, it is said that Hyena’s hind feet have been shorter and smaller than the front ones.
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