Long ago in Madagascar, three unlikely companions, a wild cat, a dog, and a rooster, swore a blood pact of friendship. Bound by this solemn promise, they declared themselves brothers, united against all misfortune. At first, their bond seemed strong. They played together, laughed together, and for a time, there was peace among them. But as with many friendships built on fragile trust, temptation and betrayal soon crept into their circle.
One day, the dog, eager for play, said, “Come, friends, let us go over there where the ground is wide and open. We will have plenty of space to run.”
The wild cat and the rooster agreed, and together they frolicked in the open field. Their laughter echoed, but beneath the joy, suspicion stirred.
As they rested from their games, the wild cat fixed his sharp eyes upon the rooster’s crest. It glowed bright red in the sun, standing tall and proud. To the cat, it looked like fire, fierce and dangerous. “Rooster,” he said, narrowing his gaze, “this is why we do not often play with you. That fire on your head, it troubles me.”
The rooster chuckled. “What fire, friend? This is no flame, but my crest. Touch it and see, it does not burn.”
But the wild cat growled, “You betray our blood pact. I see fire, yet you say it is not? How can I trust such deceit?”
“Touch it, then,” the rooster insisted, “and you will know the truth.”
Reluctantly, the wild cat reached forward, brushed the crest, and felt no heat. Instead of relief, greed rose in his heart. In a flash, he seized the rooster and carried him off to his den.
The dog, shocked and enraged, barked, “Why would you betray our pact by eating the rooster, our brother?”
The wild cat sneered. “I ate only meat, not my blood-brother. When one hunts and finds a hedgehog, does one not take it?”
The dog bristled. “You dare call your blood-brother mere meat? You twist words to justify your betrayal.”
But the wild cat, unashamed, simply licked his whiskers.
Still seething, the dog said, “If meat is what you crave, come with me. Let us go to Randriambaomanana’s feast. He is so wealthy that he sits on ox-heads as chairs and stirs his fire with ox-feet.”
The wild cat hesitated. “No. Man knows me too well. I will not go where man dwells.”
“Then at least come among the dogs,” urged the dog. “There we drink blood together, and none will harm you.”
Temptation overcame the wild cat. Drawn by the promise of blood, he followed. At the gates of the village, he slunk low, creeping among the dogs.
But soon a man spotted him and shouted, “Eh! Wild cat! Eh! Wild cat!”
The cat’s ears flattened. “Here I am,” he answered bitterly. Turning to the dog, he growled, “Did I not warn you? I said man would know me, and now I am caught.”
The dog, filled with righteous fury, turned his back. “You betrayed your blood-brother. Now you face the price. I abandon you. Kill him, man!”
The villagers fell upon the wild cat, striking him down. The dog helped them, ensuring the betrayer met his end. From that day forward, the wild cat and the dog became eternal enemies.
Before his death, the wild cat gave his last command to his descendants: “Never eat roosters, for one of them brought about our destruction. Be silent, as I die silently, like fire hidden beneath ashes. Above all, know this: we shall be the last of our kind.”
And so it has remained. Dogs chase wild cats whenever they meet, while wild cats never harm roosters.
Moral Lesson
This Malagasy folktale teaches that loyalty is a sacred bond, never to be broken for selfish desires. The wild cat’s betrayal of his blood-brother led not only to his downfall but to enmity that lasts through generations. His clever excuses could not mask his disloyalty, and justice, aided by the dog, found him in the end.
True friendship is measured not by words or pacts but by actions. When one chooses greed over loyalty, consequences are swift and lasting. The dog’s devotion to the rooster shows that loyalty protects and sustains bonds, while betrayal destroys even the strongest ties.
Knowledge Check
1. Who were the three animals that made the blood pact in this Malagasy folktale?
The wild cat, the dog, and the rooster.
2. Why did the wild cat accuse the rooster of betrayal?
Because he believed the rooster’s red crest was fire, and thought he was being deceived.
3. What did the wild cat do after touching the rooster’s crest?
He seized the rooster and carried him off to eat, betraying the blood pact.
4. How did the dog punish the wild cat for his betrayal?
He led him into the village, exposed him, and encouraged the men to kill him.
5. Why do dogs chase wild cats to this day, according to the folktale?
Because the wild cat betrayed the blood pact by killing the rooster, making dogs eternal enemies of wild cats.
6. Why do wild cats avoid eating roosters?
Because their ancestor’s death was linked to a rooster, and he forbade his descendants from harming them.
Source: Betsileo folktale, Madagascar
