Long ago, in the deep forests of Equatorial Guinea, Leopard lived with his companions and his sister’s son in the same town. Among his friends were Etoli the House-Rat, Ngomba the Porcupine, Iheli the Gazelle, Nyati the Ox, Njaku the Elephant, Ko the Wild-Rat, Kudu the Tortoise, and Indondobe the sharp-eyed Wagtail. Together they shared a bond of friendship, but hidden in Leopard’s heart was a plan that would test their trust and forever change their lives.
One day, Leopard gathered the group. “My friends, I have something to say,” he announced. “We must hunt for food, but not from our own circle. I know a place, far from here, where we can find game.” His companions agreed, and after days of preparation, they set out.
Before leaving, Leopard told his young nephew, “Stay behind in town. Each day, when we hunt, come secretly to where we camp. Take the meat and bring it to my house.” The boy nodded, loyal to his uncle’s hidden scheme.
On the journey, Leopard pretended he had forgotten his spear and ran back. There, he reminded his nephew of the secret task. Satisfied, he rejoined the group. Soon they reached the hunting grounds, where they built a small shelter and set their traps. That first day, they caught an iguana, roasted it, and laid it on the drying frame.
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When morning came, Leopard asked, “Who will stay behind to guard the house while we check the snares?” Etoli, the House-Rat, volunteered. At that moment, the nephew crept to the camp with a plate and a drum. He splashed water in the nearby stream, making Rat curious.
“Who plays in the water?” Rat called.
“It is only a friend,” the boy replied smoothly.
Welcomed inside, the boy suggested a game: he would drum while Rat danced. Delighted, Rat agreed. Soon, the boy tricked him into stepping outside. While Rat danced, the boy snatched the meat and disappeared into the forest. When Rat returned, the frame was bare. He trembled with fear.
When Leopard and the hunters came back, Rat confessed that the meat was gone. Leopard scolded him harshly, accusing him of lying and even flogging him. The next day, the same trick was played on Ko the Wild-Rat, and again the meat vanished.
Day after day, the hunters caught animals: Porcupine, Gazelle, Ox, Elephant, and even Tortoise. Each time, the nephew outwitted the guard and carried the dried meat to his own house. Soon, a large pile of stolen meat filled his home, though Leopard had expected it to be brought to his own.
Finally, only one animal had not guarded the camp, Indondobe the Wagtail. “Let me stay behind today,” said the Bird. Leopard hesitated, knowing Wagtail’s sharp eyes, but at last agreed.
When the nephew arrived, he tried the same trick, splashing water and playing the drum. But Wagtail was not so easily fooled. When the boy cooked crayfish hastily and ate them raw, Wagtail remarked, “Your stomach is just like your Uncle Leopard’s, both greedy for raw meat.” The bird refused to step outside or switch places. Frustrated, the nephew left empty-handed.
When Leopard and the others returned, Wagtail told them everything. At first, Leopard denied it, pretending innocence. But when they all rushed back to the town, they found the pile of dried meat hidden in the nephew’s house.
The animals turned on Leopard. “This is your doing! You conspired with your nephew to steal from us. You are a thief and a liar!” they shouted.
Ashamed and furious, Leopard roared, “If you cast me out, then know this: from this day forward, whenever I meet you in the forest, it will not be as a friend, but as a hunter. I will eat you all!”
And so it came to be that Leopard hunts alone, feared by all animals, carrying forever the mark of greed and betrayal.
Moral Lesson
This tale teaches that greed destroys trust and deception poisons friendship. Leopard’s plan to enrich himself through cunning led to disgrace and exile. His companions, once loyal, turned against him because he placed selfish desire above honesty. The lesson is clear: no bond can survive betrayal, and those who scheme at the expense of others will ultimately stand alone.
Knowledge Check
1. Who were Leopard’s hunting companions in the story?
Etoli the House-Rat, Ngomba the Porcupine, Iheli the Gazelle, Nyati the Ox, Njaku the Elephant, Ko the Wild-Rat, Kudu the Tortoise, and Indondobe the Wagtail.
2. What secret instruction did Leopard give his nephew?
To steal dried meat from the camp each day and bring it to Leopard’s house.
3. Which animals were tricked into losing the meat?
House-Rat, Wild-Rat, Porcupine, Gazelle, Ox, Elephant, and Tortoise.
4. How did Wagtail outsmart the nephew?
By refusing to leave the house, watching closely, and exposing the nephew’s tricks.
5. Why did the animals accuse Leopard of conspiracy?
Because the stolen meat was found in his nephew’s house, proving family involvement.
6. What does the folktale explain about Leopards today?
That leopards are solitary hunters and enemies of other animals due to their ancestor’s betrayal.
Source: Equatorial Guinean Folktale
