In the deep forests of Gabon, where the air hung heavy with the scent of damp earth and the rivers carried songs through the trees, Hyena roamed with restless hunger. He was never satisfied. No matter how much meat he found, no matter how many scraps he stole from others, his belly seemed to call for more. The animals of the forest watched him with wary eyes, for Hyena was known to take without asking and laugh while others went without.
One moonlit night, as Hyena padded along a narrow path, he heard a voice call from the shadows. “Hyena,” it said, low and powerful. He stopped and looked around. From the trees stepped the forest spirits, their forms glowing like mist, their eyes shining like fireflies.
“Hyena,” said the spirits, “you stand at a crossroads tonight. Before you are two paths. One leads to honest living. You will eat little, but you will walk in peace, with friends who trust you and a heart that rests at night. The other leads to endless meat. You will never go hungry, but you will have no friends, no trust, and no joy. Choose wisely.”
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Hyena licked his lips at the word “meat.” His eyes gleamed at the thought of endless feasts. He scarcely listened to the rest. Without hesitation, he laughed and said, “Why would I choose little food when I can have endless meat? I will take the path of plenty. Friends are nothing compared to a full belly.”
The spirits’ eyes glowed sadly, but they stepped aside. Hyena bounded down the path of meat, his tail swishing with pride.
At first, life seemed sweet. Everywhere he went, Hyena found meat. A carcass here, a fallen animal there, even the traps of hunters seemed to deliver him food. He gorged himself morning and night until his belly bulged. He laughed loudly, boasting to anyone who would listen, “Look at me! The spirits themselves gave me endless feasts. I am the cleverest of all animals!”
But slowly, Hyena began to notice a change. When he approached a watering hole, the animals scattered. When he tried to join a group beneath a tree, they turned their backs. Even the birds flew away at the sight of him. He laughed at first, but soon the silence grew heavy. No one spoke to him. No one trusted him. He ate well, yet he ate alone.
Days turned to weeks. Hyena’s belly was full, but his heart grew empty. He longed for the chatter of Monkey, the songs of the birds, even the gentle company of Antelope. But whenever he tried to approach, the animals said, “Go away, Hyena. You chose greed. You have meat, but you will never have friends.”
One evening, as he sat alone gnawing on a bone, Hyena remembered the words of the spirits. He saw clearly what he had chosen. Endless meat but no joy. Food but no friendship. He let out a long, mournful laugh that echoed through the forest. From that day on, Hyena wandered alone, his laughter hollow, a reminder to all that greed leads only to emptiness.
Moral Lesson
The story of The Hyena’s Choice teaches that greed can blind us to what truly matters. Wealth, abundance, and endless feasts mean little when they are enjoyed alone. Friendship, trust, and peace are far more valuable than possessions. A selfish choice may satisfy the body, but it starves the heart.
Knowledge Check
What is the main lesson of The Hyena’s Choice folktale from Gabon?
It teaches that greed and selfish choices bring emptiness, while friendship and peace are more valuable than endless possessions.What two paths did the forest spirits offer Hyena?
One path offered honest living with little food and friendship, while the other offered endless meat but no friends or joy.Why did Hyena choose the path of endless meat?
He was greedy and believed that constant food was more valuable than friendship or peace.What happened after Hyena chose the path of meat?
He always found food but was left completely alone, as no animal wanted to be near him.How did Hyena feel when he realized the result of his choice?
Though his belly was full, he felt lonely and empty, realizing his laughter had become hollow.Which cultural tradition does The Hyena’s Choice belong to?
It is a Gabonese folktale from the Mpongwe Tribe, recorded by Robert H. Nassau.
Cultural Origin
Source: Gabonese folktale (Mpongwe Tribe, Central Africa), recorded by Robert H. Nassau in Where Animals Talk: West African Folklore Tales (1914).
