The Monkey and the Dog
In the quiet stretches of Senegal, where the fields spread wide under the sun and farmers tilled the earth with care, two neighbors lived side by side. One was a monkey, diligent and cautious, who had planted his crops with patience. The other was a dog, strong and careless, who owned a nearby field.
But to reach his own plot of land, the dog had to cross the monkey’s field every day. Each morning, the dog trampled through without a thought, crushing the young shoots and damaging the monkey’s crops. Day after day, the monkey watched his efforts wasted. His wife grew frustrated and urged him, “Go to the dog and tell him to stop. If you wait too long, we will have nothing left to harvest.”
The monkey, however, hesitated. He preferred peace and did not want to provoke conflict. Yet as the destruction worsened, he finally agreed to act. He told his wife, “Bring me the special powder. If the dog leaves his droppings in our field, we shall sprinkle the powder upon them, and he will suffer for his disrespect.”
The next day, when the dog appeared, the monkey tried diplomacy first. He stood before him politely and said, “Friend, I ask you, pass carefully. Do not harm my crops anymore.”
But the dog was not one to listen. Instead of restraint, he lunged at the monkey with fury. He grabbed him, shook him violently, and tossed him aside with such force that the poor monkey, overwhelmed by fear, lost control of his bowels.
Later, bruised and trembling, the monkey’s wife hurried to his side carrying the powder. She was ready to carry out their plan. But the monkey stopped her with weary words:
“Do not bother, my wife. We fought so hard, I no longer know which droppings are his and which are mine.”
At that, his wife finally understood the truth. The monkey’s patience and gentleness had been met with brutality, and in his own humiliation, he realized how pointless the conflict had become.
The Hare and the Hyena
Not far from those fields, another tale unfolded, one of cunning and greed. The hare and the hyena, unlikely companions, stumbled upon a beehive heavy with golden honey. Together, they agreed to share it and store their portions in separate gourds.
The hyena, sly and treacherous, hatched a plan. “Why not replace the honey with our urine and offer it as a gift to the king? He will never know,” she suggested, laughing at her own trick.
The hare, cleverer than she knew, pretended to agree. Yet while the hyena fouled her gourd, the hare kept his own honey pure and sweet.
When the time came, they presented their gifts to the king. He lifted the hyena’s gourd first. But at the first sip, his face twisted with rage. “How dare you insult me with this filth!” he thundered, ordering the hyena to be seized and thrown into prison.
Then he tasted the hare’s gourd. The rich sweetness of true honey delighted him, and he rewarded the hare with honor and praise.
When it was time to leave, the king allowed each to choose a gift. The hyena, greedy as ever, reached for what was tied with a thick rope, believing it would be best. It was a goat. The hare, content, chose the one tied with a thin cord. It was an ox.
Hungry and dissatisfied, the hyena quickly slaughtered and ate her goat. Still envious of the hare’s ox, she devised another scheme. “Brother Hare,” she said, “you should kill your ox so that we can share the feast.”
But the hare was far too wise. “That is a good idea,” he said slyly, “but first fetch me fire from the sunset. Without fire, how shall we cook?”
The hyena, foolish and desperate, chased the setting sun, seeking flames where none could be found. Meanwhile, the hare led his ox to safety, escaping once again from her greed.
Moral of the Tales
Both stories from Senegal teach timeless lessons. The monkey’s tale shows how patience can be tested, but also how conflict often leads to humiliation rather than resolution. The hare’s story reminds us that greed and dishonesty never triumph over wisdom and honesty. Trickery may seem clever in the moment, but in the end, it is the patient and the wise who truly prosper.
Knowledge Check
1. Who were the main characters in the first Senegalese folktale?
The monkey, his wife, and the dog.
2. What role did the special powder play in “The Monkey and the Dog”?
It was meant to punish the dog for leaving droppings in the monkey’s field.
3. How did the dog humiliate the monkey during their fight?
The dog shook him so violently that the monkey defecated from fear.
4. In “The Hare and the Hyena,” why was the hyena imprisoned?
Because she presented the king with a gourd filled with urine instead of honey.
5. What gifts did the hare and the hyena receive from the king?
The hyena received a goat, while the hare received an ox.
6. What cultural lesson do both tales share?
They emphasize honesty, patience, and the downfall of greed and arrogance.
Source: Senegalese folktales, collected by René Guillot, Contes d’Afrique (1933).
