Jerboa caught more fish than he could eat. “Who wants some fish?” he shouted.
Hyena came. She didn’t just eat some fish; she ate every fish.
Jerboa got angry!
Then Guinea-Fowl walked by.
“She’s very pretty!” exclaimed Hyena. “I wish I had white speckles like hers.”
Jerboa said, “I gave her those speckles. I’ll give you speckles too; I just need white clay and a knife.”
Hyena eagerly fetched the knife and clay.
Then Jerboa used the knife to gouge holes in Hyena. “You took my fish,” he said, “so I’m taking your flesh.”
Hyena ran away, howling in pain.
[a Hausa story from northern Nigeria]
Inspired by: "The Tale about a Fox/Jerboa, a Hyena, and the Fish" in Magana Hausa; Hausa stories and fables by J. F. Schon, 1885.
Notes: You can read the original story online. Although the English translation says "fox," this is apparently a jerboa, Hausa kurege.
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