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October 02, 2008

Hyena and Rabbit

The Fulani have a lot of folk tales about Rabbit (fulfulde: bojel). Small but wily, Rabbit exemplifies the Fulani ideals of intelligence and cunning and invariably triumphs over its larger neighbours. Rabbit's nemesis in these stories is usually Hyena (fulfulde: fowru), famed for her greediness and stupidity. It is easy to see the roots of the Brer Rabbit stories in these Fulani folk tales. Here is a taster:

One day Hyena gave birth to cubs and hid them in a narrow hole in the ground. Rabbit joined the cubs in the hole, and whenever Hyena dropped food into the hole, Rabbit ate it all up before the cubs could get to it.

The days passed until one morning Hyena arrived at the hole and told the cubs to come out so she could look at them. Out came the cubs and stood in a line.
'What's the matter?' exclaimed Hyena. 'You're all so skinny you look like death.'

'There's someone in the hole with us,' said the cubs. 'Whenever you bring food, he eats it all up before we can get to it.'

'RIGHT' said Hyena. 'Come on out of there, whoever you are!'
'Sure,' replied Rabbit, sticking his ears up out of the hole. 'But first take my sandals for me, would you?'
Furious, Hyena grabbed Rabbit's ears (thinking them sandals) and flung them over his shoulder.

'Now come out of there!' cried Hyena.
'He's already out,' cried the cubs. 'Look, there he is behind you!'

Hyena looked, and let out a cry of rage. Rabbit waved his hand, then ran off lippety-clippety into the thicket, laughing nineteen to the dozen.

Posted by sahelsteve at October 2, 2008 06:49 PM