Lions and Jackals, two very different animals, don’t really get along too well. Jackals being scavengers as well as accomplished hunters will sometimes try to steal a little bit off a kill every now and then. Lions are not very forgiving when it comes to this behaviour and thus Jackals are very wary when attempting this heist. This was not always the case and many moons ago Jackal would have been an honoured guest at Lions feast. What follows is the story of how Jackal lost favour with Lion.

This is a story told by the Zulu people to accentuate the slyness of a Jackal.

One day as Jackal was wondering through the bleak expanse of land, he came upon a great rift in the ground scattered all across with boulders and stark dead trees. He decided there would be no harm in exploring and so he entered the great rift, darting to and fro between the boulders.

Every now and then Jackal, with his head low and nose pointed down to the ground, would find a little morsel of food. He came across the entrance to a mouse nest and began to scratch and dig at it furiously trying to get into the heart of the nest.

With his attention focused on the task at hand, he did not notice that lion was coming towards him and thus did also not notice that Mother Mouse was digging away just above him. Mother Mouse feared for her babies and so was trying to spring the trap she had carefully planned right above her home. She had chosen this particular spot because it had a great big boulder, balancing precariously on a ledge that overhung the entrance to her home. The smallest provocation was needed to send the boulder into action and it tumbled down pinning Jackal by his tail.

Now Jackal let out a great wail as his tail was caught by the boulder, one of much pain and humiliation. Lion being close by heard this cry of distress and rushed forward to Jackal’s aid. Lion put his great shoulder to the boulder and hoisted it up above him, the boulder resting on his shoulders and against the wall of the rift and his feet braced wide upon the ground.

Jackal sprang free, full of joy and thankfulness that Lion had come to his aid so quickly. Jackal though was not at all pleased that it was Lion who had come to his aid as Lion had slighted him a few moons ago by making fun of the way he called in his high pitched shriek. So Jackal said to Lion “Wait here a moment great Nkosi, I will return shortly with a strong log to take your place in holding that boulder up.” Jackal scampered off snickering and disappeared leaving Lion there for many hours as the light faded, waiting for Jackal’s return and holding the boulder aloft atop his tiring shoulders.

Eventually Lion realised he had been made a fool of and dropped the boulder with a snort of disgust and a roar of intense rage that echoed far and wide until it reached Jackal’s ears and alerted him to Lions displeasure. Lion was so exhausted that he fell right where he was into a very deep sleep and only woke late into the night.

To this day Lion still has not forgiven Jackal the slight given to him and will try chase him away whenever he sees him.