Jackal’s tongue was out, drooling, imagining his teeth sinking into the juicy fat zebra meat. His friend Leopard was rolling on the ground with laughter. Leopard never got tired of teasing Jackal for his obsession over the meat in King Lion’s storage. Likewise, Jackal never got tired of desiring the meat in Lion’s storage. Leopard had tried several times to advise him to learn to be satisfied with the little they had but his friend never listened. He even dreamt of it and his mumblings always woke Leopard from sleep.
King Lion and his family hunted big fat game while Jackal and his friend Leopard could only catch small animals. Jackal was fed up with eating rabbits, reptiles and birds. As a result, he insisted they take a path that passed behind Lion’s meat storage every time they finished hunting, just so he could admire the juicy fat meat there.
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One morning Jackal insisted they take the path behind Lion’s meat storage when they left for their hunting. Leopard refused knowing well that his friend would get lost in thought obsessing over Lion’s meat and delay their hunting. But after much persuasion from his friend he agreed. That morning jackal could not focus on their hunting as he was distracted thinking about the fresh juicy fat meat he saw in Lion’s meat storage. The two friends could not catch anything and Leopard was so furious with Jackal that he took a different path back home. Jackal was disappointed too but still, he could not resist taking the path that led to Lion’s meat storage.
Lion and his family were basking in the morning sun. Jackal, knowing he could not steal the meat without getting caught, came with a better plan. He took sticks and leaves, threw them into the meat storage, ran home and pretended he was sad when he saw Leopard. Jackal told Leopard that he saw the King’s meat storage in a bad condition as there was litter everywhere so it would be a good idea to ask the King for permission to clean it. Seeing Leopard hesitant, he went on telling him that the food storage room should be clean to avoid the King eating bad meat and falling ill. Finally, Leopard gave in and agreed. In front of Lion, Jackal showed concern for the King’s wellbeing, this impressed Lion.
Lion allowed them to clean his meat storage in return for a bag of meat each. The two friends readily accepted the job and got to work. As they were cleaning, Jackal could not hold himself and told Leopard that they should eat the fat off the meat to satisfy their hunger for some time but Leopard refused knowing very well that they would be punished for stealing. Jackal pretended like he understood. They cleaned quickly and when they were done, they sat by the door of the storage room waiting for Lion. Leopard, aware of Jackal’s tricks, kept an eye on him lest he got them in trouble with the King. Jackal knew Leopard’s weakness so he started humming a sweet melody that lulled his friend to sleep. When Leopard started snoring, Jackal sneaked into the storage and started eating the fat off the meat bit by bit. When the fat was finished he took a small bite of the meat and he kept on eating and eating the delicious meat.
Jackal realised when his stomach complained that he not only ate the fat but half the meat in the storage. Panicking he saw his snoring friend and wiped his mouth with Leopard’s tail and ran off. Leopard was still snoring when Lion’s roar woke him from his sleep. Leopard realising what his friend had done tried to explain but Lion could not believe him because his tail had all the proof. Leopard was chased from the king’s compound without his pay. While Leopard was walking home, hurt by his friend’s betrayal, he heard someone groaning behind a tree. He went over to see, and he saw his friend Jackal rolling on the ground, holding his stomach. He was in pain and needed help but Leopard still angry with him said, ‘When you steal, you get punished. When you betray friends, you lose them.’ and continued walking.
Published in the September 2021 Edition of the WSA Magazine
