Long ago, Rabbit was the king of the animals, and Mother Rabbit was their queen.
Hyena lived among the animals back then, and he wanted to eat them, so he pretended to be dead.
"Hyena is dead!" proclaimed Rabbit.
"It's safe to leave children at home now!" proclaimed Mother Rabbit.
All the animals came to bury Hyena. They drummed, they danced. "Hyena is dead!" they sang.
No one was sorry Hyena was dead.
Meanwhile, Hyena watched through half-closed eyes. He waited. He watched.
Then he attacked, killing many animals.
The survivors drove Hyena away.
That's why Hyena now lives alone.
Inspired by: "Mock Funeral: Hyena Plays Dead: Why Hyena Lives Alone" in Dahomean Narrative by Melville and Frances Herskovits, 1958.
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