One day, a dog and a rat walked side by side, speaking warmly about the sweetness of companionship. Their affection grew so strong that they decided to seal it with a sacred blood pact, promising loyalty and unity forever.
When the ritual was complete, the dog, filled with restless excitement, turned to his companion and said:
“Why linger here, little brother? Let us set forth and seek adventure.”
The rat, cautious and small, replied:
“Let’s go, elder brother. But do not forget, I am weak, and I have placed all my trust in you.”
Together they journeyed, following the dusty road until they encountered a mighty ox grazing in the distance. Quick as lightning, the dog leapt onto its broad back. The rat tried to follow, but being so tiny, he landed instead upon the ox’s cheek and clung desperately to its skin. Terrified, the ox tried to strike him with its hooves, but the nimble rat dodged every blow. Startled by its own helplessness, the ox broke into a panicked run.
The chase was long and fierce. At last, the exhausted beast stumbled into a pit by sheer misfortune and perished instantly. The dog and the rat rushed upon the carcass, tearing at the flesh until they had eaten their fill.
When their hunger was quenched, the rat spoke with a spark of cunning in his eyes:
“Elder brother, we must not waste this blessing. Let us slice the meat into strips and dry it. You shall cut, for your strength is great, and I will climb the tree to hang the strips where no predator may reach them.”
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The dog wagged his tail and answered gratefully:
“Very well, little brother. Your wisdom serves us well.”
So the dog labored, slicing thick strips of meat, while the rat scurried up and down the tree, carefully hanging each piece to dry in the sun. By the time the task was complete, nothing remained of the ox on the ground but scattered bones. All the meat was suspended high above, beyond the reach of the dog.
That evening, as shadows deepened, the dog sat below the tree, gazing hungrily at the meat swaying in the air. He felt bitterness creep into his heart, for his small companion had outsmarted him. Anger twisted his belly more fiercely than hunger, and he called his children to his side.
With stern fury, he declared:
“Whenever you find a rat upon the ground, seize it and eat it. Hunt in its holes, dig through the grasses until you catch it. If you fail, you are no kin of mine. For the rat has deceived me cruelly, and so shall all his kind pay the price.”
Soon after speaking these words, the dog’s strength failed, and he died. But his command lived on in the blood of his descendants.
And that, they say, is why dogs hunt and devour rats to this very day.
Moral Lesson
This folktale reminds us that friendship without balance breeds bitterness. The dog trusted the rat, but the rat’s cleverness turned into selfish cunning, and trust collapsed into betrayal. It teaches that wisdom without fairness can wound more deeply than open enmity, and that greed and suspicion corrode the bonds of love. True loyalty requires honesty, humility, and equal regard, otherwise, even blood-pacts will crumble into dust.
Knowledge Check
1. Who were the main characters in this Malagasy folktale?
The dog and the rat.
2. What pact did the dog and rat make before their journey?
They sealed their friendship with a sacred blood pact.
3. How did the ox meet its death?
It fell into a pit by chance while fleeing in fear.
4. Why did the rat hang the meat in a tree?
To protect it from enemies and ensure it dried safely.
5. What command did the dog give his children before he died?
To hunt and eat rats wherever they found them.
6. What cultural lesson does the folktale highlight?
It teaches about betrayal, distrust, and the dangers of selfish cunning in friendship.
Source: Betsileo folktale, Madagascar.
