Long time ago, in the heart of the savanna, where the dry winds whispered through the grasslands and acacia trees stood like watchful guardians, there was once a time of famine. The rains had failed, and water holes dried up. The animals, driven by hunger, came together in a great council under the Baobab Tree to decide how they would survive.
“Let us build a communal storage cave,” suggested the wise old Tortoise. “Each of us will contribute food when we find it, and we will take turns guarding it. That way, no one will starve.”
The idea was agreed upon, and the animals worked together, digging a cool, shaded cave beneath a hillside. Everyone—elephants, zebras, monkeys, even lions—honored the rule. Everyone, that is, except Hyena.
Hyena was known for his sneaky ways and bottomless belly. By day, he smiled and nodded, promising to share. But at night, when the others slept, he crept into the cave, feasting on what others had stored.
Tortoise grew suspicious. “Food is vanishing faster than it should,” he told the council. “I shall guard the cave tonight.”
That evening, Tortoise coated the floor near the food piles with sticky honey collected from a hive. He arranged dried leaves around the edges to make noise if disturbed. Then he hid in a corner and waited.
Just before midnight, Hyena slinked into the cave, licking his lips. He stepped right into the honey, but was so focused on his prize he didn’t notice. When he turned to leave, he slipped and landed in the leaves with a loud CRASH.
“Who’s there?” roared Lion from afar.
The animals came rushing, carrying torches made from burning bark. There they found Hyena stuck and covered in honey, his mouth full of someone else’s yams.
Ashamed, Hyena tried to explain, but the evidence spoke louder. The council punished him by banning him from the food cave for an entire moon cycle. He was also made to dig a new well by himself, under the sun’s fierce glare.
Humbled and hungry, Hyena learned to respect the rules of community.
Moral: Greed may feed you for a night, but it starves your name forever.
