In the vast savannas of Burkina Faso, where red earth stretches beneath a blazing sky and thorny acacia trees cast their shadows, two creatures were locked in a bitter rivalry: the warthog and the lion. Stories had long circulated that the warthog was no easy opponent, a beast of surprising toughness and resilience. Bon Yenga, the lion, king of the bush and proud master of all creatures, heard these whispers and burned with rage.
“What? I, the lion, called king of the wild, yet someone dares to claim he is not easy to defeat? Who dares such defiance?” he thundered. His pride stung like fire, and soon the day came when he and the warthog would face each other directly.
The two rivals prepared for confrontation in their own ways. Regogo, the warthog, lowered his tusked head and began rooting fiercely into the ground, tearing at roots with his powerful teeth. The lion, eyes flashing, used his claws to shred the grass before him. The air grew tense, heavy with the promise of combat. When they finally clashed, God granted the lion courage, and with a mighty spring he seized the warthog. But Regogo’s strength was not to be underestimated, he twisted, broke free, and fled at top speed.
The chase thundered across the bushland. Dust rose, birds scattered, and the warthog plunged into the earth, vanishing down a deep burrow. Snarling with frustration, the lion set Hyena as guard over the entrance, ensuring the warthog could not escape.
The War of the Hole
The animals decided to dig the warthog out. Another warthog was brought to claw through the earth and flush the first one into the lion’s jaws. The ground trembled with their effort. Word of this plan soon reached Hare, quick-footed and clever, who always had tricks tucked away in his mind.
Hare came to the hole carrying a small sack of salt. Peering inside, he found the frightened warthog crouched in the shadows.
“Friend,” whispered Hare, “they are waiting above to catch you. Take this salt and hold it in your mouth. When the one digging reaches you, spit the salt into his eyes. The sting will blind him, and you will have your chance to escape.”
The warthog nodded, determined. Hare returned above and announced calmly, “He is still far down the hole.”
But while waiting, temptation overcame the warthog. He tasted the salt, found it delicious, and swallowed it all.
The Hare’s Warning
When the digging warthog drew near, Hare suspected something was wrong. He rushed back down and asked, “Did you keep the salt in your mouth?”
The warthog shook his head. “It tasted too good, so I swallowed it!”
Hare stamped his feet. “Fool! That salt was your weapon. Without it, you are doomed.”
“Please,” begged the warthog, “give me more, and I swear I won’t swallow it this time.”
With a sigh, Hare handed him another pinch of salt. This time the warthog clenched his jaw and held firm.
At last, the digger’s snout broke through the earth, his eyes wide and glaring. The trapped warthog spat the salt with all his might. It struck the digger’s eyes, burning and blinding him. He fell back, thrashing, while the warthog in the hole burst free and bolted into the bush.
The Trick Revealed
Hare pointed to the fallen digger and shouted mockingly, “Lion! Look at your mighty scheme. You set this warthog to dig, and instead he has been swallowed up! See him lying there, helpless, while the other has escaped!”
The lion roared with fury, but the truth was plain. The blinded warthog rubbed at his burning eyes, while Regogo was already gone, safe among the thickets.
Thus, by the wit of Hare and the sting of salt, the warthog survived that day. Yet the tale reminds us that the quarrel between lion and warthog is not finished. Even now, when a lion catches a warthog, he often tears off its feet and leaves the body, a reminder of this ancient enmity.
Moral Lesson
This Mossi folktale teaches us that pride, no matter how powerful, can be outwitted by strategy. The lion trusted his strength and his authority, but it was cleverness, the foresight of Hare and the use of salt, that saved the weaker warthog.
The story also carries a warning. The warthog nearly doomed himself by giving in to temptation, swallowing what should have been his protection. Wisdom is not only in having help but also in discipline to follow advice. True survival often depends on both wit and restraint.
Knowledge Check
Q1. Who were the two main rivals in the story?
A1. The warthog Regogo and the lion Bon Yenga.
Q2. What sparked the lion’s anger against the warthog?
A2. He was offended by claims that the warthog was not easy to defeat.
Q3. Where did the warthog hide to escape the lion?
A3. He fled into a deep hole in the ground.
Q4. What role did Hare play in the story?
A4. He advised the warthog to use salt to blind the digger and escape.
Q5. Why did the warthog almost fail with Hare’s plan?
A5. He swallowed the salt because it tasted good, instead of keeping it to spit out.
Q6. What lasting symbol of the conflict does the tale explain?
A6. That lions tear off warthogs’ feet and abandon the body after a kill.
Source: Mossi folktale, Burkina Faso.
