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WHY HYENA LIMPSA S T O L D B Y L I N D A R O D E
One day Hyena and Jackal were lying in the shade of a camel thorn.
Hyena’s heavy head and strong jaws were resting on his forepaws.
Jackal’s pointed snout lay on his forepaws too. A flock of swifts
swooped past, and Jackal looked up into the sky.
“Hyena,” he said, “see that big fluffy cloud? Did you know that
it’s actually made of lumps of mouthwatering mutton fat? I’ll bring
you back a piece.” And step by step Jackal climbed up into the sky
and reached the white cloud, for in those days animals could do
marvellous things.
Jackal ate his fill. He ate until his whiskers glistened with grease,
his entire snout glistened and fat was dripping down his neck.
But now he had to get back down. This was a bit more difficult
than going up.
“Hey there, Hyena,” Jackal called. “Stand ready to catch me if I
fall. I’ll bring you a big chunk of fat for your trouble!”
Hyena dutifully got up and stood ready to catch Jackal. Whop!
Hyena’s big frame broke Jackal’s fall, preventing Jackal from knocking
himself out. But where was the promised chunk of fat?
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“O, salamanderslipperysnake,” Jackal groaned, pretending to be
sorry. “It seems I have forgotten to bring your chunk of fat.”
Hyena sighed. “Well, I’ll just have to climb up myself then.” Step
by step he climbed up into the blue sky, just the way Jackal had
done. Hyena lay down on the cloud of fat and ate and ate. When
his stomach was as round as a barrel, he called down to Jackal: “My
brother, you with the black saddle on your back, it’s your turn to
catch me now!”
“I’m ready!” Jackal called back, holding out his forepaws.
Just before Hyena hit the ground, Jackal leaped out of the way.
“Ow-ow-ow-ow, a thorn in my paw, aaauuuooww!” he screamed.
With a thud, Hyena landed on the hard earth, seriously injuring
his back.
That is why Hyena limps around like one with an injured back.
Some people even say his left hind leg is shorter than the right one.
And it is all Jackal’s fault.
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