Long ago, Leopard was feared in the forest. His spotted coat glistened in the sun, his muscles rippled with power, and every beast knew that when Leopard prowled, silence fell. Yet despite his strength, Leopard was ruled by appetite, an endless hunger for meat.
One day, while walking along a narrow path, Leopard came upon Monkey. Perched in a tree, Monkey swung down, tail curling like a rope. His eyes gleamed with mischief.
“Brother Leopard,” Monkey said, “you and I are both hungry. Why not set a trap together? We can catch enough food to satisfy us both.”
Leopard’s ears twitched. Monkey was known for tricks, but the promise of full bellies clouded his caution. “Very well,” Leopard growled. “Tell me your plan.”
Monkey led Leopard deeper into the forest until they reached a clearing where wild game often passed. “We will dig a deep pit here,” Monkey explained. “Cover it with branches and grass, and when Antelope comes, he will fall in. Then we feast.”
READ: Leopard, Antelope, and Monkey | An Angolan Folktale
Leopard agreed, and together they worked. Monkey nimble with his hands, Leopard strong with his claws. Soon the trap was ready.
By afternoon, Antelope wandered into the clearing. He sniffed the air, saw nothing unusual, and stepped forward. With a sudden crash, the earth gave way beneath him, and Antelope tumbled into the pit.
Leopard’s whiskers quivered with delight. “At last! A meal!” he cried.
But Monkey raised his hand. “Wait, Brother. Antelope is not enough for two. Let us keep watch. Perhaps more will come.”
Leopard, greedy and eager for plenty, agreed. They waited. Soon another Antelope passed and fell into the pit. Then another, and another, until the pit shook with frightened cries.
By evening, Leopard could no longer bear it. “Now we eat!” he roared.
But Monkey had other plans. While Leopard’s attention was fixed on the pit, Monkey swung from tree to tree, gathering long vines. Quick as lightning, he bound Leopard’s paws together, then looped the vines over a high branch. Before Leopard realized the trick, he was hoisted upside down, dangling helplessly like a caught fish.
“Monkey!” Leopard thundered. “Release me at once!”
Monkey only laughed. “You thought to feast without sharing fairly. But strength is nothing without cunning.” He then leapt down, freed one Antelope, and carried it away to his hidden tree-house, leaving Leopard to struggle in fury.
All night Leopard twisted and clawed, but the vines held. By morning, Hare came hopping along the path. His ears twitched as he heard Leopard’s desperate growls.
“Brother Leopard, how did you come to hang like a gourd on a vine?” Hare asked slyly.
Leopard groaned. “It was Monkey! He tricked me and stole the Antelopes. Please, Hare, cut me down.”
Hare tilted his head. “Why should I? What will you give me in return?”
“Anything you ask!” Leopard begged.
Hare smiled, his whiskers twitching. “Then promise never to harm me or my kin.”
Desperate, Leopard agreed. With a swift bite of his sharp teeth, Hare cut the vines, and Leopard tumbled to the ground in a heap.
Ashamed but bound by his word, Leopard slunk away, while Hare hopped off chuckling. And Monkey, high in his tree, feasted well, his laughter echoing through the forest.
Moral Lesson
This tale reminds us that greed and brute force often lead to downfall, while cleverness and patience bring victory. Even the strongest can be humbled when blinded by appetite, and sometimes the smallest creatures, Monkey and Hare, outsmart those who believe themselves invincible.
Knowledge Check
1. Who are the main characters in the folktale “Leopard, Monkey, and Hare”?
The main characters are Leopard, Monkey, and Hare, each representing strength, trickery, and wit.
2. What trap did Leopard and Monkey set in the story?
They dug a deep pit in the forest, covered it with branches and grass, to capture passing Antelopes.
3. How did Monkey outwit Leopard?
Monkey tied Leopard with vines, hoisted him upside down, and took the Antelopes for himself.
4. What role did Hare play in the story?
Hare freed Leopard from the vines but only after making him promise never to harm him or his kin.
5. What is the moral lesson of the story?
The moral is that greed and overconfidence lead to downfall, while cunning and patience secure success.
6. Where does this folktale come from?
This folktale is from the Kimbundu people of Angola, as collected in Folktales of Angola (1894).
Source
This story is a Kimbundu folktale from Angola, published in Heli Chatelain’s Folktales of Angola (1894).
