Long ago it was always day; there was no night.
Then God called the people and the animals together. "I'm going to create night now," God said. "It will be a time for sleeping."
"Thank you, God!" the people and the animals said.
"You must cover your faces with your hands and paws while I do this," God explained, and everyone obeyed — except for Lion, Leopard, and Hyena.
Those three animals peeked while God created night.
That is why Lion, Leopard, and Hyena can see in the dark.
They hunt at night, while everyone else is sleeping as God intended.
[an Oromo story from Kenya]
Inspired by: "Why Lions, Leopards, and Hyenas Hunt at Night" in Two Galla Legends (published in Man) by Alice Werner, 1913.
Notes: You can read the original story online. This story comes from the chief of the Barareta Oromo (Galla) at Kurawa, north of Malindi in Kenya. You can read more about the Oromo people at Wikipedia.
No comments:
Post a Comment