|| A South African folktale ||
There was a great drought in the land. The lion, being the king of the jungle, called together a number of animals, so that they might devise a plan for retaining water when the rains fell. The animals which attended to the lion’s summons were the baboon, the leopard, the hyena, the jackal, the hare, and the mountain tortoise.
It was agreed that they should dig a large hole to hold water. The next day they all began to work, with the exception of the jackal, who continually hovered about in that locality, and was overheard to mutter that he was not going to scratch his nails off in making waterholes.
So the pond or the waterhole was finished.
When the rains fell, it was soon filled with water, to the great delight of everyone. The first one, however, to come and drink there, was the jackal, who not only drank, but filled his clay pot with water, and then proceeded to swim in the rest of the water, making it as muddy and dirty as he could.
When the animals came and saw the muddy water, they wondered who had done it. Then the leopard noticed the jackal’s footprints in the wet mud and showed to everyone.
This was brought to the knowledge of the lion, who was very angry, and ordered the baboon to guard the water the next day. The jackal was to be caught red-handed. The baboon was concealed in a bush close to the water; but the jackal soon became aware of his presence there, and guessed its cause.
Knowing that baboons love honey, the cunning jackal thought of a plan. He got his clay pot and marched to and fro at the edge of the water. Every now and then, he dipped his fingers into his empty clay pot, and licked them with an expression of intense relish, saying, in a loud voice, “I don’t want any of their dirty water, when I have a pot full of delicious honey.”
This was too much for the poor baboon, whose mouth began to water. He soon began to beg the jackal to give him a little honey, as he had been watching for several hours, and was very hungry and tired.
The jackal looked round to see if there are other animals hiding. When he was sure there weren’t others watching from the bushes, he said that he would give the baboon some honey on the condition that the baboon should allow himself to be tied up by the jackal.
The baboon foolishly agreed; and was soon tied in such a manner that he could not move hand or foot. Later, the animals came and freed him.
Next, the tortoise stepped forward, and offered his services for the capture of the jackal. It was at first thought that he was merely joking; for how was he a match against the jackal! But, the clever tortoise explained his plan and it was accepted.
He proposed that a thick coating of bijenwerk (a kind of sticky black substance found on bee-hives, i.e., bee-glue) should be spread all over him, and that he should then go and stand at the entrance of the reservoir, on the water level, so that the jackal might tread upon him, and stick fast. This was accordingly done, and the tortoise was posted there.
The next day, when the jackal came, he approached the water very cautiously, and saw no one there.
He then ventured to the entrance of the water, and remarked how kind they had been in placing there a large black stepping-stone for him. As soon, however, as he trod upon the supposed stone, he stuck fast. He could not move his fore legs at all. He understood that he had been tricked; for the tortoise now put his head out, and began to move. The jackal’s hind feet being still free, he threatened to smash the tortoise with them if he did not let him go.
The tortoise merely answered, “Do as you like.”
The jackal made a violent jump on the tortoise, and found, with horror, that his hind foot were now also completely glued.
“Tortoise,” said warned, ” I have still my mouth and teeth left, and will eat you alive, if you do not let me go,”
“Do as you like,” the tortoise again replied. The jackal made a desperate bite at the tortoise, and found himself fixed, both head and feet. It was a funny sight! The tortoise was completely unhurt, thanks to his hard shell.
The slow but purposeful tortoise dragging the jackal who was completely stuck to him! The tortoise, feeling proud of his successful capture, now marched quietly up to the top of the bank.
The animals were indeed astonished to find how cleverly the crafty jackal had been caught; and the tortoise was much praised, while the unhappy baboon was again reminded of his misconduct when set to guard the water.
The jackal was condemned to death by the lion; and the hyena was to execute the sentence. The jackal made a last request to the lion that he should choose how to die.
The lion inquired of him in what manner he wished to die. The jackal asked that his tail might be shaved and rubbed with a little fat, and that the hyena might then swing him round twice, and dash his brains out upon a stone. This, being considered sufficiently fair by the lion, was ordered by him to be carried out in his presence.
When the jackal’s tail had been shaved and greased, the hyena caught hold of him with great force. But before he had fairly lifted him from the ground, the cunning jackal had slipped away from the hyena’s grasp, and was running for his life, pursued by all the animals. He had to finally leave the jungle for his safety and the animals all lived in harmony ever after.
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