How the Jaguar Got His Spots

A jaguar cub, dismissing his mother’s warning about men, sought to challenge a man’s strength. Encountering a woodcutter, the cub fell into a clever trap when the man tricked him into wedging his paw in a tree. After receiving a harsh beating, the cub’s bruised and bloodied body turned black, explaining the jaguar’s spotted coat in this cautionary tale.

Source
Ethnology of the Mayas of
Southern and Central British Honduras
by John Eric Thompson
Field Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Series, Pub.274, Vol.17.2
Chicago, 1930

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The tale explains the jaguar’s spotted appearance as a result of the cub’s encounter with the man.

Trickster: The man employs cunning to trap and defeat the overconfident jaguar cub.

Conflict with Nature: The tale depicts an interaction where human cleverness overcomes animal strength.

► From the same Region or People

Central America
- Maya Lore

Learn more about Maya people

Once there was a jaguar cub, and his mother told him to be very careful of men as they were very dangerous. The cub did not believe her and wanted to test his strength against that of man. One day, wandering through the forest, he came to a place where a man was splitting wood. “You are a man, aren’t you?” the young jaguar said to him. “I have come to test my strength against yours.” The man agreed and told the young jaguar to put his paw in the tree trunk where it was wedged open by his axe. The jaguar did so whereupon the man pulled out his axe and the wood coming together imprisoned the cub’s paw in its vise-like grip. Then the man gave the cub a thorough thrashing and let him go. The jaguar cub’s body was covered with black bruises and blood, and since then its skin has always been of this color.

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How Fire Was Brought

Long ago, a community lacked fire, while their neighbors across a river refused to share it. Despite numerous failed attempts to steal fire, a clever dog succeeded. The dog swam across the river with a black-wax candle, lit it stealthily, and returned safely, bringing fire to his people. From that day forward, they never lacked fire again.

Source
Ethnology of the Mayas of
Southern and Central British Honduras
by John Eric Thompson
Field Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Series, Pub.274, Vol.17.2
Chicago, 1930

► Themes of the story

Trickster: The dog embodies the trickster archetype, using cunning to outsmart the neighboring community and acquire fire.

Origin of Things: The narrative explains the origin of fire among the people, detailing how they came to possess it.

Cunning and Deception: The dog’s success relies on stealth and deception to achieve the goal of bringing fire to its people.

► From the same Region or People

Central America
- Maya Lore

Learn more about Maya people

Once upon a time the people had no fire. On the edge of the land where they lived was a big river, and across the river were folk who had fire. Nevertheless, those that had the fire refused to give any to those that had not; and, although the latter had made many attempts to steal some, these attempts always ended in failure. At last they decided to send over a dog. The dog swam across with a black-wax candle, and when no one was looking, he stole up to the fire and lit the candle. The dog raced off before he could be caught and, swimming back across the river, he brought the candle safely alight to the people. Since then they have never been without fire.

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A Story of the Creation

Adam, lonely in the garden, received a rooster, then a dog, but remained dissatisfied. God created Eve from Adam’s rib. A snake split its skin trying to climb the garden wall, marking snakes’ lifelong shedding. After leaving the garden, Adam struggled to clear land but feared bleeding trees. God’s messenger helped, planting maize and other crops through divine effort, establishing sustenance for humanity.

Source
Ethnology of the Mayas of
Southern and Central British Honduras
by John Eric Thompson
Field Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Series, Pub.274, Vol.17.2
Chicago, 1930

► Themes of the story

Creation: The narrative describes the origins of humanity, the formation of Eve from Adam’s rib, and the establishment of agriculture, detailing how the world and human life began.

Origin of Things: The tale explains natural phenomena, such as why snakes shed their skins, attributing it to the snake’s attempt to climb the garden wall and splitting its skin in the process.

Harmony with Nature: The story emphasizes the importance of understanding and working with the natural world, as seen when Adam learns to cultivate the land with divine guidance, leading to a fruitful and sustainable existence.

► From the same Region or People

Central America
- Maya Lore

Learn more about Maya people

At first Adam was alone in the garden. He was lonely and wanted a partner and asked God for one. God gave him a rooster, but Adam complained that the rooster was never there. Then God sent him a dog. Adam still was not satisfied, saying that the dog could not talk except by wagging his tail. Then when he was sleeping, God took out one of his ribs and made Eve. There was a wall around the garden, and the snake, trying to get over the wall, split his skin. From that time snakes have always cast their skins. Adam and Eve left the garden and found a large stone house, where they lived. They had no machetes, and the only food to eat was tsib. Adam wanted to make a plantation.

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The messenger of God gave him an axe and a machete, telling him to fell the four trees that stood at the four corners of the plantation. When he went to cut down the first tree, the tree called out to him, “Don’t cut me down.”

Adam made a small cut, and blood started to come out of the tree. Adam was afraid and went away. Later the messenger came and asked him why he had not cut down the four trees. Adam told him what had happened, and that he was afraid, but the messenger replied, “That is the way all over the world.” The messenger then chopped down the four corner trees, one cut to each side of the trunk. When the four corner trees fell, all the other trees in the plantation fell as well. When the plantation was dry, Adam burnt it off, but he had no seed to sow. The messenger of God promised to sow it. He took a stick and sharpened the point. He took corn in one hand, and thrust the stick into the ground. He was sweating, so he took the sweat and threw it into the hole. Then he placed a little earth on top of the hole. In this way he made holes at all four corners of the plantation, and one in the center. At the end of a week the field was full of maize, beans, squashes and all the fruits of the world.

A Creation Myth

This tale explains the origins of domestic animals and human fortune. The Mam offers a man herds of animals, but due to his poor choices—using weak lianas and failing to secure them—they escape. The Mam teaches him to pray instead. Another man, who ties animals properly, ensures their domestication. Descendants of the first man remain without herds, while those of the second enjoy wealth and animals.

Source
Ethnology of the Mayas of
Southern and Central British Honduras
by John Eric Thompson
Field Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Series, Pub.274, Vol.17.2
Chicago, 1930

► Themes of the story

Creation: The myth explains how domestic animals came to be and the origins of human fortune.

Origin of Things: It provides an explanation for the existence of domestic animals and the differing fortunes among people.

Cultural Heroes: The two men in the story serve as foundational figures whose actions explain cultural practices and societal structures.

► From the same Region or People

Central America
- Maya Lore

Learn more about Maya people

After the sun and moon rose, there was a man on earth, and the Mam wanted to help him. He told him to sit on a bench, but the man sat on the floor. He told him to eat his food on a low bench, but the man took his food and ate it on the floor.

The Mam told him he would give him a tapir so that he could have a herd, and told him to get a rope to tie it. The man, instead of getting a rope, got some tietie (liana), and tied the tapir with that. Needless to say the tapir broke the thin tietie and escaped. Then the Mam said, “I am going to give you peccaries so that you may have a herd of them. Get some rope and tie their feet.”

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The man again tied them with the thin tietie, and they escaped. Then the Mam told him to get rope to tie the deer, but the man caught it by the tail, and the tail breaking, the deer escaped. That is why the deer now has no tail. Then the Mam said to the man, “Now I can’t help you any more as you have let all the animals escape, but I will teach you how to pray and burn copal to the Morning Star, and then you will always have plenty of game.”

Now there was another man who tied all these different animals well, and that is why there are domestic animals in the world. These were the first men, and all the Indians are descended from them. Some are descended from the first, and have no domestic animals in herds. Others are descended from the second, and they are rich and have herds of animals.

The Origin of the Rivers

This myth explains the origin of rivers on Earth. Initially, water was confined to an underground lake guarded by St. Peter. When a messenger conveyed humanity’s plea for accessible water, God granted permission, warning it would become polluted. The water, eager to explore the world, agreed. Released from the mountain, it formed rivers, bringing fish provided by the Mam, the mountain guardians, to nourish humanity.

Source
Ethnology of the Mayas of
Southern and Central British Honduras
by John Eric Thompson
Field Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Series, Pub.274, Vol.17.2
Chicago, 1930

► Themes of the story

Creation: The narrative explains the origin of rivers on Earth, detailing how they came into existence to benefit humanity.

Origin of Things: It provides an explanation for natural phenomena, specifically the formation of rivers and the introduction of fish as a food source.

Conflict with Nature: The initial scarcity of accessible water represents humanity’s struggle against natural limitations, leading to a transformative change in the environment.

► From the same Region or People

Central America
- Maya Lore

Learn more about Maya people

Once there were no rivers on earth, only one big lake, which was underground in a big hill, and the people had to get their water by lowering jars down into a very deep cenote (a deep and wide natural well). St. Peter, who was the lord of the water, wouldn’t allow rivers on earth, as the people would dirty them and churn them up. A messenger passed over the world and asked the people if they were contented and if they wanted anything.

Adam and Eve, the first people, said, “It is bad. The people are increasing, and there is no water except down that deep hole. We would like to see the water on earth.”

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Then the messenger went to the water and questioned it under the ground in the mountains. The water began to talk to the messenger.

“Where are you going?” he asked the messenger.

“I am going to God,” the messenger replied, “to tell Him the people are dying of thirst.”

“Well,” said the water, “I am getting tired of being hidden here under the mountain. The sun pours down on me through the cenote mouth, and I get very hot. Besides, I would like to see the world.”

The messenger went away and told God what the water said.

“I put him there,” answered God, “so that he shouldn’t get dirty and angry with the people. If he is on earth, the people will wash in him and dirty him, and throw rubbish in him, and he will be angry. Tell him that if he is prepared to suffer all these indignities, he may go on earth.”

The messenger went to the water and told him what God had said. The water was happy.

“I don’t mind all that,” he cried. “I shall be on the move all the time, and I shall clean myself, and I shall see everything.” Then the messenger smashed the rock, and the water began to pour out in four directions. As it poured out, each stream asked the Mam, the owners of the mountain, for some food to give to the people. In one stream the Mam put minnows, in another machaca and another bagre. From that time the people have had fish to eat. That is why one must ask the Mam for fish when one goes out to catch them, for the Mam have them stored in the mountains and send them to feed the people.

The Turtle, the Frog, and the Serpent

A turtle marries a frog, but they quarrel, and the frog retreats to her hole. Attempts by a griffin and a vulture to coax her back fail, as she scorns their efforts. Finally, a serpent intervenes, threatening to enter her hole. The frog delays, but the serpent grows impatient and swallows her. This tale explains the eternal enmity between serpents and frogs.

Source
Moorish Literature
   romantic ballads, tales of the Berbers,
   stories of the Kabyles, folk-lore,
   and national traditions
The Colonial Press,
   London, New York, 1901

► Themes of the story

Trickster: The serpent employs cunning to deceive the frog, ultimately leading to her demise.

Moral Lessons: The narrative imparts a lesson about the consequences of deceit and the perils of underestimating others.

Origin of Things: The fable provides an explanation for the natural enmity between serpents and frogs.

► From the same Region or People

North Africa
- Berber Lore

Learn more about the Berber peoples

Translated by Réne Basset
and Chauncey C. Starkweather

Once upon a time the turtle married a frog. One day they quarrelled. The frog escaped and withdrew into a hole. The turtle was troubled and stood in front of his door very much worried. In those days the animals spoke. The griffin came by that way and said: “What is the matter with you? You look worried this morning.”

“Nothing ails me,” answered the turtle, “except that the frog has left me.”

The griffin replied, “I’ll bring him back.”

“You will do me a great favor.”

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The griffin took up his journey and arrived at the hole of the frog. He scratched at the door.

The frog heard him and asked, “Who dares to rap at the door of a king’s daughter?”

“It is I, the griffin, son of a griffin, who lets no carrion escape him.”

“Get out of here, among your corpses. I, a daughter of the King, will not go with you.”

He departed immediately.

The next day the vulture came along by the turtle and found it worrying before its door, and asked what was the trouble. It answered: “The frog has gone away.”

“I’ll bring her back,” said the vulture.

“You will do me a great favor.”

The vulture started, and reaching the frog’s house began to beat its wings.

The frog said: “Who conies to the east to make a noise at the house of the daughter of kings, and will not let her sleep at her ease?”

“It is I, the vulture, son of a vulture, who steals chicks from under her mother.”

The frog replied: “Get away from here, father of the dunghill. You are not the one to conduct the daughter of a king.”

The vulture was angry and went away much disturbed. He returned to the turtle and said: “The frog refuses to come back with me. Seek someone else who can enter her hole and make her come out. Then I will bring her back even if she won’t walk.”

The turtle went to seek the serpent, and when he had found him he began to weep. “I’m the one to make her come out,” said the serpent. He quickly went before the hole of the frog and scratched at the door.

“What is the name of this other one?” asked the frog.

“It is I, the serpent, son of the serpent. Come out or I’ll enter.”

“Wait awhile until I put on my best clothes, gird my girdle, rub my lips with nut-shells, put some koheul in my eyes; then I will go with you.” “Hurry up,” said the serpent. Then he waited a little while. Finally he got angry, entered her house, and swallowed her. Ever since that time the serpent has been at war with the frog. Whenever he sees one he chases her and eats her.

How the Tortoise overcame the Elephant and the Hippopotamus

The tale explains how the cunning tortoise outwitted both the elephant and hippopotamus in strength contests, using clever tricks to win valuable rods. Impressed by his “strength,” they accepted him as a friend. The tortoise divided his lineage between land and water, giving rise to two types of tortoises. Water tortoises grew larger due to abundant food, unlike their land-dwelling counterparts.

Source
Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria
by Elphinstone Dayrell
Longmans, Green & Co.
London, New York, Bombay, Calcutta, 1910

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: The story highlights the use of wit and cleverness to achieve goals, as the tortoise deceives both the elephant and the hippopotamus.

Origin of Things: The narrative provides an explanation for the existence of both land and water tortoises, attributing their distribution to the tortoise’s actions.

Conflict with Authority: The tortoise challenges the dominance of larger animals, questioning the assumption that strength equates to superiority.

► From the same Region or People

West Africa
- Nigerian Lore

Learn more about Nigerian peoples

The elephant and the hippopotamus always used to feed together, and were good friends.

One day when they were both dining together, the tortoise appeared and said that although they were both big and strong, neither of them could pull him out of the water with a strong piece of tie-tie, and he offered the elephant ten thousand rods if he could draw him out of the river the next day. The elephant, seeing that the tortoise was very small, said, “If I cannot draw you out of the water, I will give you twenty thousand rods.”

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So on the following morning the tortoise got some very strong tie-tie and made it fast to his leg, and went down to the river. When he got there, as he knew the place well, he made the tie-tie fast round a big rock, and left the other end on the shore for the elephant to pull by, then went down to the bottom of the river and hid himself. The elephant then came down and started pulling, and after a time he smashed the rope.

Directly this happened, the tortoise undid the rope from the rock and came to the land, showing all people that the rope was still fast to his leg, but that the elephant had failed to pull him out. The elephant was thus forced to admit that the tortoise was the winner, and paid to him the twenty thousand rods, as agreed. The tortoise then took the rods home to his wife, and they lived together very happily.

After three months had passed, the tortoise, seeing that the money was greatly reduced, thought he would make some more by the same trick, so he went to the hippopotamus and made the same bet with him. The hippopotamus said, “I will make the bet, but I shall take the water and you shall take the land; I will then pull you into the water.”

To this the tortoise agreed, so they went down to the river as before, and having got some strong tie-tie, the tortoise made it fast to the hippopotamus’ hind leg, and told him to go into the water. Directly the hippo had turned his back and disappeared, the tortoise took the rope twice round a strong palm-tree which was growing near, and then hid himself at the foot of the tree.

When the hippo was tired of pulling, he came up puffing and blowing water into the air from his nostrils. Directly the tortoise saw him coming up, he unwound the rope, and walked down towards the hippopotamus, showing him the tie-tie round his leg. The hippo had to acknowledge that the tortoise was too strong for him, and reluctantly handed over the twenty thousand rods.

The elephant and the hippo then agreed that they would take the tortoise as their friend, as he was so very strong; but he was not really so strong as they thought, and had won because he was so cunning.

He then told them that he would like to live with both of them, but that, as he could not be in two places at the same time, he said that he would leave his son to live with the elephant on the land, and that he himself would live with the hippopotamus in the water.

This explains why there are both tortoises on the land and tortoises who live in the water. The water tortoise is always much the bigger of the two, as there is plenty of fish for him to eat in the river, whereas the land tortoise is often very short of food.

Why the Moon Waxes and Wanes

A poor old woman lived alone in a mud hut, often starving. The moon, a fat woman made of hide, took pity on her and allowed the woman to carve meat from her each night. As the moon grew thin, people grew suspicious. They caught the old woman in the act, scaring the moon back to the sky, where she now waxes and wanes, never descending again.

Source
Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria
by Elphinstone Dayrell
Longmans, Green & Co.
London, New York, Bombay, Calcutta, 1910

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The tale provides an explanation for the natural phenomenon of the moon’s waxing and waning.

Conflict with Nature: The old woman’s actions in carving meat from the moon lead to unintended consequences affecting the natural world.

Loss and Renewal: The moon’s cycle of becoming thin and then renewing herself each month reflects themes of depletion and restoration.

► From the same Region or People

West Africa
- Nigerian Lore

Learn more about Nigerian peoples

There was once an old woman who was very poor, and lived in a small mud hut thatched with mats made from the leaves of the tombo palm in the bush. She was often very hungry, as there was no one to look after her.

In the olden days the moon used often to come down to the earth, although she lived most of the time in the sky. The moon was a fat woman with a skin of hide, and she was full of fat meat. She was quite round, and in the night used to give plenty of light. The moon was sorry for the poor starving old woman, so she came to her and said, “You may cut some of my meat away for your food.”

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This the old woman did every evening, and the moon got smaller and smaller until you could scarcely see her at all. Of course this made her give very little light, and all the people began to grumble in consequence, and to ask why it was that the moon was getting so thin.

At last the people went to the old woman’s house where there happened to be a little girl sleeping. She had been there for some little time, and had seen the moon come down every evening, and the old woman go out with her knife and carve her daily supply of meat out of the moon. As she was very frightened, she told the people all about it, so they determined to set a watch on the movements of the old woman.

That very night the moon came down as usual, and the old woman went out with her knife and basket to get her food; but before she could carve any meat all the people rushed out shouting, and the moon was so frightened that she went back again into the sky, and never came down again to the earth. The old woman was left to starve in the bush.

Ever since that time the moon has hidden herself most of the day, as she was so frightened, and she still gets very thin once a month, but later on she gets fat again, and when she is quite fat she gives plenty of light all the night; but this does not last very long, and she begins to get thinner and thinner, in the same way as she did when the old woman was carving her meat from her.

Why Dead People are Buried

In the creation land, the Creator tasked the dog to deliver a message ensuring the dead could revive if treated with ashes. Distracted by a bone, the dog failed, so the Creator sent a sheep instead. The sheep misremembered and told people to bury the dead. When the dog corrected this, no one believed him. Thus, burial became the norm, and the dog earned mistrust.

Source
Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria
by Elphinstone Dayrell
Longmans, Green & Co.
London, New York, Bombay, Calcutta, 1910

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The tale explains the origin of human burial customs.

Divine Intervention: The Creator directly influences human practices by sending messages through animals.

Cunning and Deception: The dog’s distraction by a bone leads to a deceptive outcome regarding burial practices.

► From the same Region or People

West Africa
- Nigerian Lore

Learn more about Nigerian peoples

In the beginning of the world when the Creator had made men and women and the animals, they all lived together in the creation land. The Creator was a big chief, past all men, and being very kind-hearted, was very sorry whenever any one died. So one day he sent for the dog, who was his head messenger, and told him to go out into the world and give his word to all people that for the future whenever any one died the body was to be placed in the compound, and wood ashes were to be thrown over it; that the dead body was to be left on the ground, and in twenty-four hours it would become alive again.

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When the dog had travelled for half a day he began to get tired; so as he was near an old woman’s house he looked in, and seeing a bone with some meat on it he made a meal off it, and then went to sleep, entirely forgetting the message which had been given him to deliver.

After a time, when the dog did not return, the Creator called for a sheep, and sent him out with the same message. But the sheep was a very foolish one, and being hungry, began eating the sweet grasses by the wayside. After a time, however, he remembered that he had a message to deliver, but forgot what it was exactly; so as he went about among the people he told them that the message the Creator had given him to tell the people, was that whenever any one died they should be buried underneath the ground.

A little time afterwards the dog remembered his message, so he ran into the town and told the people that they were to place wood ashes on the dead bodies and leave them in the compound, and that they would come to life again after twenty-four hours. But the people would not believe him, and said, “We have already received the word from the Creator by the sheep, that all dead bodies should be buried.” In consequence of this the dead bodies are now always buried, and the dog is much disliked and not trusted as a messenger, as if he had not found the bone in the old woman’s house and forgotten his message, the dead people might still be alive.

The Affair of the Hippopotamus and the Tortoise; or, Why the Hippopotamus lives in the Water

Long ago, the hippo, Isantim, was a powerful king on land, second only to the elephant. Despite his prominence, only his seven wives knew his name. At a feast, Isantim challenged guests to guess his name, threatening to send them away hungry. Clever tortoise uncovered Isantim’s secret and revealed it at the next feast. Ashamed, Isantim and his family retreated to the water, where hippos dwell to this day.

Source
Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria
by Elphinstone Dayrell
Longmans, Green & Co.
London, New York, Bombay, Calcutta, 1910

► Themes of the story

Trickster: The tortoise uses cunning to outsmart the more powerful hippopotamus.

Cunning and Deception: The tortoise’s cleverness leads to the revelation of Isantim’s name.

Origin of Things: The story explains why hippos live in water.

► From the same Region or People

West Africa
- Nigerian Lore

Learn more about Nigerian peoples

Many years ago the hippopotamus, whose name was Isantim, was one of the biggest kings on the land; he was second only to the elephant. The hippo had seven large fat wives, of whom he was very fond. Now and then he used to give a big feast to the people, but a curious thing was that, although every one knew the hippo, no one, except his seven wives, knew his name.

At one of the feasts, just as the people were about to sit down, the hippo said, “You have come to feed at my table, but none of you know my name. If you cannot tell my name, you shall all of you go away without your dinner.”

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As they could not guess his name, they had to go away and leave all the good food and tombo behind them. But before they left, the tortoise stood up and asked the hippopotamus what he would do if he told him his name at the next feast? So the hippo replied that he would be so ashamed of himself, that he and his whole family would leave the land, and for the future would dwell in the water.

Now it was the custom for the hippo and his seven wives to go down every morning and evening to the river to wash and have a drink. Of this custom the tortoise was aware. The hippo used to walk first, and the seven wives followed. One day when they had gone down to the river to bathe, the tortoise made a small hole in the middle of the path, and then waited. When the hippo and his wives returned, two of the wives were some distance behind, so the tortoise came out from where he had been hiding, and half buried himself in the hole he had dug, leaving the greater part of his shell exposed. When the two hippo wives came along, the first one knocked her foot against the tortoise’s shell, and immediately called out to her husband, “Oh! Isantim, my husband, I have hurt my foot.” At this the tortoise was very glad, and went joyfully home, as he had found out the hippo’s name.

When the next feast was given by the hippo, he made the same condition about his name; so the tortoise got up and said, “You promise you will not kill me if I tell you your name?” and the hippo promised. The tortoise then shouted as loud as he was able, “Your name is Isantim,” at which a cheer went up from all the people, and then they sat down to their dinner.

When the feast was over, the hippo, with his seven wives, in accordance with his promise, went down to the river, and they have always lived in the water from that day till now; and although they come on shore to feed at night, you never find a hippo on the land in the daytime.