In the old days, when men and animals still lived as friends and spoke to one another, there lived a hunter named Effiong. He was famous across the Calabar region for his skill with bow and spear. He roamed the deep forests and wide grasslands, and wherever he went, he returned with game. His name carried weight, for his hunting brought wealth, and his wealth bought him friends.
One of his closest companions was a man named Okun, who lived not far from his home. Together they often shared palm wine, laughter, and feasts. Yet Effiong, though skilled and fortunate, had one great flaw, he was extravagant. Whatever he earned, he spent quickly. His house was always open, his pots always filled, and his hands always giving, until at last his riches vanished like smoke in the wind.
When poverty finally reached him, Effiong returned to the bush with his hunting tools, but fortune no longer walked at his side. For many days he returned empty handed. Hunger weighed upon him, and worry pressed his mind.
One morning, weak with hunger, Effiong wandered into the forest. There he met his old friend, Leopard. The great spotted beast looked at him with concern.
“Effiong,” Leopard asked, “what troubles you? You walk as though the world has grown heavy on your shoulders.”
Effiong sighed. “Brother, my luck has left me. My money is gone, my traps bring me nothing, and my house is without food.”
Leopard nodded thoughtfully, then said, “Do not despair. I will lend you five rods of money. When fortune smiles again, you may repay me.”
Grateful, Effiong accepted the rods and went home. His wife rejoiced, for they could at last buy food. But Effiong’s needs grew greater, and the very next day he met Goat, who also gave him five rods. On the third day he met Bush Cat, who lent him five more, and on the fourth day he met Cock, who cheerfully offered another five.
Now Effiong had twenty rods in all. His wife clapped her hands with joy. They filled their storehouse again, bought palm wine, and for a time lived happily.
But debts do not sleep. Soon Leopard came asking for his money. Goat followed, then Bush Cat, then Cock. Each demanded repayment, but Effiong had nothing to give. His mind turned to trickery.
One evening he invited all four animals to his house. “Come, my friends,” he said warmly, “tonight I shall pay what I owe.”
The animals, pleased to hear this, gathered in his home. Effiong brought out a great pot of palm wine and set it before them.
“Drink first, and then I shall repay each of you,” he said.
Thirsty and trusting, the animals eagerly pushed their heads into the pot to drink. In that instant, Effiong seized his chance. He clapped the heavy lid upon the pot, trapping Leopard, Goat, Bush Cat, and Cock inside. Their muffled cries rose from the clay vessel, but Effiong only smiled.
Calling his wife, they lifted the pot together, carried it into the forest, and left it beneath the trees.
The animals struggled fiercely, their voices echoing from within the pot until another hunter passing by heard the commotion. Curious, he struck the pot with his staff, shattering it open. Out leapt Leopard with a roar, Goat bleating angrily, Bush Cat hissing, and Cock crowing in fury.
Furious at their betrayal, the four animals raced back to Effiong’s house to take revenge. But Effiong, warned by the noise, fled swiftly into the bush before they arrived.
As he ran, his friend Okun appeared. “Effiong,” he said, “you owe me money as well, and I shall not let you escape as you did the animals. My juju is strong.”
Okun spoke powerful words, and at once Effiong collapsed before him. Bound by magic, he could not rise.
“You must pay me today,” Okun declared.
But Effiong pleaded, “Brother, give me until tomorrow, and I will repay you in full.”
Okun agreed, though reluctantly.
The next morning, Effiong returned to the bush. This time his fortune turned. He killed a leopard and sold its skin for a high price. With the money he gained, he went straight to Okun and repaid his debt.
Yet Leopard, Goat, Bush Cat, and Cock never saw their rods again. Effiong never returned their money, and though they remained bitter, they could not bind him as Okun had. In this way, Effiong escaped his animal creditors, though not without enemies.
Moral Lesson
The tale of How a Hunter Obtained Money from the Leopard, Goat, Bush Cat, and Cock warns us about the dangers of lending. Generosity without caution can bring pain, for some borrowers, like Effiong, may choose trickery over honesty. The story teaches that debts must be repaid, and trust should not be given lightly.
Knowledge Check: How a Hunter Obtained Money from the Leopard, Goat, Bush Cat, and Cock
Who was Effiong, the main character in the story?
Effiong was a Calabar hunter known for his skill and former wealth.Why did Effiong become poor despite once being rich?
He was extravagant, spending all his money on food, drink, and feasts until nothing remained.Which four animals lent money to Effiong in the folktale?
Leopard, Goat, Bush Cat, and Cock each lent him five rods.How did Effiong trick the animals when they came for repayment?
He invited them to drink palm wine, trapped them in a pot, and abandoned them in the bush.Who eventually forced Effiong to repay his debt, and how?
His human friend Okun, who used strong juju to bind him until he promised repayment.Did Effiong repay the animals in the story?
No, he never repaid the Leopard, Goat, Bush Cat, or Cock, though he did repay Okun.
Source: Calabar folktale, Nigeria
