One day, long ago in the land of the Betsimisaraka by the waters of Mananjary, the father of all cats stood at the edge of a wide river. The air was heavy with the scent of wet earth and the soft hiss of water rushing past stones. He wished to cross to the other side, but the water swirled deep and dangerous, beyond even his daring paws. Though he was a proud creature, sleek and strong, he knew that stepping into those waters without aid meant death. So he looked around and called out to one who lived in the currents: the Water Rat.
The Cat’s Request
The Water Rat was clever and nimble, his fur slicked smooth from a life spent between land and river. He came when summoned, twitching his whiskers in curiosity. The Cat, lifting his voice so that even the trees on the far bank could hear, spoke firmly:
“Brother Water Rat, the river stands against me. I wish to reach the far side. Carry me across on your back, and I will honor your help.”
The Water Rat paused, eyeing the Cat with a flicker of slyness. The Cat’s claws gleamed, and his eyes shone with hunger, but there was no malice in his words. After a moment, the Water Rat nodded. “Climb upon me, and I shall take you there.”
The Cat, relieved, stepped carefully onto the back of the Water Rat, balancing his weight. With powerful strokes, the rat carried him into the heart of the current.
The Treachery in the River
For a time, the journey seemed safe. The Cat’s whiskers twitched as he looked toward the far shore. Yet in the very middle of the river, where the water churned strongest and the sky above seemed distant, the Water Rat betrayed his promise. With a sudden twist, he slipped away beneath the surface, vanishing like a shadow swallowed by waves.
The Cat tumbled into the cold water, flailing, coughing, his fur soaked and heavy. The current dragged at him, pulling him under again and again. But the Cat’s will was fierce; claw by claw, stroke by stroke, he fought his way forward. At last, battered and gasping, he dragged himself onto the far bank, his body trembling, his heart aflame with fury.
The Gathering of the Cats
On dry land, the Cat shook his drenched fur and raised his voice in a howl that echoed through the forest. One by one, his children and grandchildren came running, the young hunters with quick paws, the mothers with watchful eyes, the kittens who mewed curiously. They gathered in a great circle around their father, listening as his anger poured forth.
“Look at what has been done to me,” he cried, his eyes burning like coals. “The Water Rat has mocked me, shamed me, left me to drown. His treachery is not only against me but against all of us, against our bloodline, our pride, our very name. From this day forward, we are bound by revenge. Wherever the cursed rats cross our path, we shall strike them down. We shall hunt them, we shall eat them, we shall never forgive.”
The young cats hissed, the mothers growled low, and even the smallest kittens bared their teeth. In that moment, the vow was sealed.
The Eternal Enmity
From that day to this, the pact has never been broken. Across the villages of Mananjary and throughout the forests of Madagascar, the cats have remembered their father’s words. Whenever their sharp eyes catch sight of a rat, the old fury awakens, and the hunt begins.
And thus, betrayal on a single river gave birth to an eternal war, one written not in treaties or scrolls but in the instincts of predator and prey.
Moral Lesson
This Betsimisaraka folktale teaches that betrayal leaves wounds that cannot easily heal. The Water Rat’s treachery turned trust into hatred, binding cats and rats into endless enmity. From the story, we learn that breaking faith with others creates consequences that echo across generations. Trust, once destroyed, breeds vengeance, and vengeance can shape destinies far beyond the moment of betrayal.
It reminds us that loyalty and honesty are the foundation of lasting peace, while treachery plants seeds of conflict that may never wither away.
Knowledge Check
1. Who are the main characters in this Betsimisaraka folktale?
The Father of the Cats and the Water Rat.
2. Why did the Cat need help crossing the river?
Because the water was too deep and dangerous for him to cross alone.
3. How did the Water Rat betray the Cat?
He slipped away in the middle of the river, leaving the Cat to nearly drown.
4. What vow did the Cat make after surviving?
That all cats and their descendants would forever hunt and kill rats.
5. What is the central lesson of this folktale?
That betrayal destroys trust and can create lasting conflict across generations.
6. Which cultural group is this tale from?
The Betsimisaraka people of Mananjary, Madagascar.
Source: Betsimisaraka folktale, Madagascar.
