How God Tricked the Jackal

God was tired of Jackal tricking the other animals, so he decided to trick Jackal. He took the form of a boy and stood by the roadside, waiting.

"Help me!" the boy cried. "Let me ride on your back."

Jackal agreed, and the boy climbed on.

Then the boy gripped Jackal's back hard.

He emitted a ball of fire that set Jackal's coat on fire.

"Mercy!" Jackal shouted. "Mercy!"

Then the boy vanished, and Jackal rolled in the dirt, putting out the flames.

The black and ashy patches of Jackal's coat remind the animals how God punished him long ago.

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Inspired by: "How Jackal Got His Markings"  in When Hippo Was Hairy by Nick Greaves, 1988.
Notes: You can read the original story online. This is a Khoekhoe story. Compare the story of Jackal and the Sun.

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