In the heart of Senegal’s oral tradition, tales of the hare and the hyena echo through villages, markets, and family gatherings. These stories are more than entertainment, they are tools of wisdom, shaping values of diligence, patience, and resilience. The hare, clever and meticulous, thrives because he respects effort. The hyena, careless and impatient, stumbles because she seeks shortcuts. Four folktales preserved by René Guillot in Contes d’Afrique (1933) reveal this timeless lesson.
The Hyena and the Hare with the Bridge
The hare and the hyena both set out to build bridges across a wide stream. The hare, steady and thoughtful, worked carefully. He laid his planks straight, bound them tightly, and tested the strength of each step. His bridge stood firm, a safe path over rushing water.
The hyena, however, rushed through her work. She threw crooked beams across the current, left gaps between them, and declared her bridge finished without testing it. From a distance, it looked like a bridge, but it was weak beneath the surface.
When people came to cross, they trusted the hare’s bridge. It carried them securely across. But when the hyena stepped onto hers, the planks wobbled, then gave way. With a loud crack and a splash, she plunged into the water.
Dripping wet and humiliated, she dragged herself to the shore. From his strong bridge, the hare laughed aloud, amused at her downfall.
The Hyena and the Hare with the Millstone
Another day, the hare and the hyena decided to carve millstones. The hare, patient as always, chipped steadily at the rock. He smoothed its surface, shaped its edges, and polished it until it turned evenly in his hands.
The hyena, restless and unwilling to wait, carved hers in a hurry. She scratched out a rough shape, jagged and uneven. Though it looked like a millstone, it was fragile and unbalanced.
When it came time to grind grain, the hare’s stone worked perfectly. It spun with ease, producing fine flour that fell cleanly into his basket. The hyena’s stone, however, cracked under the strain. Grain spilled everywhere, wasted.
The hare shook his head and laughed, saying with quiet pride:
“Patience grinds best.”
The Hyena and the Hare with the Roof
The hare and the hyena next set out to build homes. The hare thatched his roof carefully, weaving layer upon layer of grass until the roof was thick and strong.
The hyena hurried through her work, tossing grass onto the rafters without care. She left gaps and tied bundles loosely, hoping speed would keep her dry.
When the rains arrived, the storm beat down heavily on both houses. The hare stayed safe inside, dry and comfortable beneath his well-built roof.
The hyena, however, soon found herself drenched. Water poured through the holes in her roof, soaking her until at last the entire structure collapsed around her.
Soaked and shivering, she ran to the hare’s home, begging for shelter. But the hare, proud of his own work, refused to take her in. She was left to endure the storm outside, regretting her haste.
The Hyena and the Hare with the Fence of Thorns
During planting season, the hare and the hyena grew crops. To protect his field, the hare patiently built a fence of sharp thorns all around it. The barrier stood firm, deterring any animal that tried to enter.
The hyena began her own fence, but she grew tired quickly. Instead of finishing, she left gaps wide enough for animals to squeeze through.
When hungry creatures came prowling, they could not breach the hare’s fence. His crops grew untouched, safe behind the thorns. But the hyena’s field lay open. Animals rushed in, trampling and devouring everything she had planted.
The hyena wept bitterly as she watched her field destroyed, while the hare harvested in peace, his basket overflowing.
Moral of the Four Tales
These four Senegalese folktales teach one truth in different forms: success comes to those who are patient, diligent, and careful in their work. The hare prospers because he respects the value of steady effort. The hyena suffers because she is careless, lazy, and always in a hurry. Patience and hard work may take time, but they never fail.
Knowledge Check
1. What do the hare and hyena represent in Senegalese folktales?
The hare represents patience and wisdom, while the hyena represents laziness and carelessness.
2. What lesson does the bridge story highlight?
That careful, steady work creates strength, while careless shortcuts lead to collapse.
3. Why does the hyena fail in the millstone story?
Her impatience produces a weak, fragile stone that cannot grind grain.
4. What does the roof story symbolize?
Preparation and diligence provide protection against hardship, while neglect leads to ruin.
5. What happens in the thorn fence story?
The hare’s crops remain safe behind his completed fence, while animals destroy the hyena’s unprotected field.
6. What is the shared moral of all four folktales?
That patience, effort, and hard work lead to success, while laziness and haste bring failure.
Source: Senegalese folktales, collected by René Guillot in Contes d’Afrique (1933).
