The Hyena and the Wise Little Girl

A Village in Fear
In a dry land where red dust danced with the wind and acacia trees cast sharp shadows, there lived a young girl named Naeku. She belonged to a Maasai village surrounded by grasslands and watched over by the elders and warriors of her people. Though she was the youngest among her siblings and small in size, her eyes carried the brightness of thought, and her mind moved faster than many knew.

One day, the village woke to a terrible silence. The cows had not returned from grazing, and the herders who had gone with them were missing. A scout returned breathless with news. A wild hyena had been spotted near the grazing lands, larger than any they had seen before. It had chased the cattle, scattered the herds, and disappeared into the brush. Some believed it was no ordinary beast, but one touched by spirits or twisted by hunger.

The village elders called for the warriors to search, but none dared go alone, for the hyena had grown bold. Days passed. The cows were still missing. Food became scarce. The children cried at night. Still, no one found the courage to face the beast.

Naeku Steps Forward
Naeku listened quietly as the grown men debated. Her father, a well respected elder, had grown weak with worry. Her mother wept over the empty milk gourds. One night, while the others slept, Naeku rose. She wrapped herself in her red shuka, tied a leather pouch to her waist, and slipped into the darkness with nothing but a wooden staff and her wits.

She walked through the thorn bushes, followed the trail of scattered hoofprints, and listened to the rustling wind. At the edge of the grazing plains, where the grass grew thin, she found him. The hyena. His eyes burned like coals in the dark. His fur was patchy, and his teeth were stained from old hunts. He stood over a fallen calf and snarled.

Naeku did not run.

Instead, she called out, “Great Hyena, eater of bones, why do you steal from those who raise with care?”

The hyena laughed, a low growl rolling in his throat. “Because I can. The strong take what they need. Who are you to question me?”

Naeku stood firm. “I am just a girl, but I do not come with fear. I come with a game.”

The Riddle Challenge
The hyena tilted his head. “A game?”

“Yes,” she said. “If I win, you leave our cattle alone. If you win, I become your meal.”

The hyena licked his lips. “Agreed.”

Naeku sat on a rock. “Let us ask riddles. If one fails to answer, the other wins.”

The hyena grinned wide. “Very well. I begin. What has four legs at dawn, two at midday, and three at dusk?”

Naeku smiled. “Man. As a child he crawls, as an adult he walks, and in old age he leans on a stick.”

The hyena frowned.

“My turn,” Naeku said. “What is the thing that belongs to you but others use more than you?”

The hyena’s eyes narrowed. He paced. He growled. Minutes passed.

Finally, he barked, “I do not know!”

“Your name,” Naeku replied.

The hyena roared in anger. “One more!” he shouted. “One more and I shall let you live.”

Naeku nodded. “Very well. If I answer this, you will leave our village and never return.”

The hyena snarled. “Ask.”

Naeku leaned forward. “What grows without rain, dies with too much care, and lives in silence?”

The hyena growled and snapped his teeth. He scratched the ground. He howled into the wind. But the answer did not come.

He stared at her, panting. “Speak. What is it?”

“Fear,” Naeku said calmly. “Fear grows when you do not face it. It dies when you confront it. And it lives when no one speaks of it.”

A Hero Returns
The hyena lowered his head. “You have won.”

True to his word, the hyena turned and disappeared into the bush, never to be seen again. Naeku returned to her village with the missing calf. The warriors greeted her with disbelief. The elders praised her wisdom. Her father wept with pride. From that day on, stories of Naeku spread far across the plains, and even grown men listened when she spoke.

Moral Lesson
The story The Hyena and the Wise Little Girl teaches that wisdom is not measured by age or strength, but by courage, patience, and the ability to think clearly in danger. Even the fiercest challenge can be overcome when one chooses mind over fear. True bravery is often quiet, and heroes may come in the smallest forms.

Knowledge Check

1. What is the moral of the African folktale “The Hyena and the Wise Little Girl”?
   The story teaches a lesson about the power of wisdom and calm thinking, showing that courage does not always need strength or weapons.
2. What cultural group does the African tale “The Hyena and the Wise Little Girl” come from?
   This folktale originates from the Maasai tradition of Africa, where oral storytelling is used to pass on values, history, and wisdom.
3. Why did Naeku challenge the hyena in “The Hyena and the Wise Little Girl”?
   In the tale, Naeku challenged the hyena out of loyalty to her village and a desire to protect her people, which sets the story in motion and reveals her inner strength.
4. How does the folktale “The Hyena and the Wise Little Girl” explain the importance of cleverness?
   The story shows that cleverness and understanding are just as powerful as physical strength when facing danger or solving problems.
5. Is “The Hyena and the Wise Little Girl” an African trickster tale, ghost story, origin myth, or animal fable?
   “The Hyena and the Wise Little Girl” is a wisdom tale with elements of animal fable, reflecting the values of cleverness, survival, and honor within the Maasai culture.
6. How is the African folktale “The Hyena and the Wise Little Girl” still relevant today?
   The message of “The Hyena and the Wise Little Girl” remains relevant because it teaches young readers that clear thinking and courage can overcome even the most feared challenges.

Cultural Origin
Maasai folktales