The lion and the jackal decided to share the hunt, so that they could stock up for the winter months. The jackal suggested that as the lion was the better hunter, he should hunt, while the jackal would haul the meat to Mrs. Lion and the cubs. The jackal also suggested that Mrs Jackal and the little jackals would prepare and dry the meat, and take it over to Mrs. Lion, so ensuring that they never lacked for meat.
The hunt began and it was successful. After a long time, the lion returned to his den to see his family and was surprised to find them starved and almost at death’s door. Mrs. Lion told him that the jackal told them that the hunt was bad and hence there was only a few entrails. The lion was furious and charged off to catch the jackal.
But, the wily, old jackal was expecting just such a reaction. So he had taken his family into safety. He found a place on top of a cliff, which could be reached only by a small, narrow, difficult path. And, he was the only one who knew the way up.
Reparation
The lion spotted the jackal and his family on the cliff, all looking well fed and sleek, and he was livid. The jackal saw the lion and called out, “Good morning Uncle Lion.”
“How dare you call me uncle, you scoundrel,” roared the lion. “You starved my wife and family and now you calling me uncle?”
The jackal had his story ready. “Oh! Uncle! I am so sorry. This wife of mine is such a beast. It is because of her. Let me teach her a lesson.” Then the lion heard a sound of someone being beaten. Whack! Whack! and immediately, he heard the sound of Mrs. Jackal crying and then the little ones too. The howling was so terrible that the lion asked the jackal to stop. The cunning jackal was actually hitting a hide, and he had instructed his wife and children to howl.
When the howling settled down, the jackal asked the lion to come up. The lion tried to follow the path but could not. So the jackal suggested that he would lower a basket and haul him up. When the lion was half way up, he cut the rope and the lion crashed to the ground. Once again, the lion heard the jackal berating his wife for giving him a rotten rope. Again he beat his wife, and the howling began. Once more, the lion begged him to stop.
Then the jackal said he had a better rope and suggested he try once more. The lion agreed and got into the basket. The jackal and his family pulled and pulled, till the lion reached the top and saw the pots cooking and the meats hanging out to dry. The jackal cut the rope and the lion fell with so much force that he was stunned.
When the lion recovered, the jackal suggested that it would not be wise to haul the lion up. So, instead he said he would th row a piece of roasted eland into his mouth. Once again, the lion agreed. The jackal heated up a round stone, wrapped it in fat to make it appear like meat. He told the lion to open his mouth wide and he threw the red hot stone into his mouth and killed him.
Retold by Nimi Kurian
