The Hunter and the Leopard

The Hunter and the Leopard

From the Odu Ejila Unle (12-8)

The leopard, after spending a few nights with hunger, is still stronger than a well-fed man.

Eyila

The hunter was a gentle man; he was skilled at the hunt but only went when his family was in need of food. One morning when their store of food was low he had no choice but to track prey. In the heart of the forest he found a huge stone, and as he walked around the stone he discovered a small opening into the earth. He kneeled down beside the great rock and tried to peer inside. He saw a leopard.

“Kind hunter,” said the leopard, crouching down to look pitiful, “do not be afraid of me. I am gentle. Many days ago I fell into this trap. After the earth gave way a huge stone rolled down over me and I have been here for days. I will die if I do not get out soon. Please help me.”

“If I help you,” said the hunter, “once you are free you will eat me. It is the way of your kind. I would be foolish to set you free.”

And with those words the hunter stood up and started to walk away. He thought for a moment about killing the leopard where he stood, but decided against it. There was no sport in such a kill, and it would not be fair to the animal.

“Wait,” screamed the leopard, shaking with fear. “Do not leave me. I swear that I will not eat you if you let me out of this hole.”

The hunter turned to face the rock and the hole, and for quite some time thought about setting the leopard free. And then, he set him free. Once the leopard was free he stood looking at the hunter, drooling.

“You are not a kind leopard after all, are you?” he said. “You stand there thinking about eating me even though I saved you, and even though you promised you would not. You wish to repay the good I did you with evil.”

The leopard hung his head. “I am sorry. It is just that I am so hungry. I cannot help myself.”

The hunter stood there with his crossbow raised, pointed at the leopard’s heart; he thought about killing him, but lowered his crossbow instead. “I will make a pact with you, leopard. We will seek out three animals and tell them what I have done. We will ask them if it is right that a good be repaid with evil. And if they say it is right, we will fight to the death.” They traveled separately down the same road, the leopard trailing far behind the hunter.

In time the hunter spied an ox. The hunter asked him, “Ox, is it true that good is often repaid with evil?”

The ox said, “It is true that good is repaid with evil. When I was young, I plowed the earth without complaint and now that I am old, they take me to the butcher block.”

“That’s one animal who agrees,” said the leopard. “Two more and I will eat you.”

“Two more, and I will try to kill you,” said the hunter. The hunter and the leopard continued to walk through the forest.

“Let us hurry. I am very hungry,” said the leopard. “And my family is hungry as well,” said the hunter.

They came to a horse and the hunter asked, “Horse, is it true that good is repaid with evil?”

The horse said, “Good is repaid with evil. It happens every day. When I was young I was pampered by my owner, and now that I am old I have to find my own food in the fields.”

The leopard said to the hunter, “It is time for me to eat you.” The hunter answered, “We made a pact, and we still have one more animal to ask.”

They walked for hours until they spied a fox. The hunter called out to him, “Good with good, is that what you would repay?”

And the fox said, “That a good is repaid with good?” He was quiet and stared warily at the two. “What kind of a question is this? Explain yourself, hunter, because I trust neither you nor the leopard and I want to run.”

The leopard sat back on his haunches and tried to look innocent. “I was walking through the forest and I fell in a hole. The hole was a trap, and after I fell a great rock rolled over on top of me. I sat there, in darkness, for many days. I was unable to free myself.”

The fox said, “This is a lie. I do not believe you.”

The leopard answered, “How are you going to tell me that this is a lie?”

The fox said, “Because your kind lie all the time. Show me how it happened and then I might believe you.” The leopard led the hunter and the fox back through the forest; the fox, not trusting either, walked behind them ready to run at the first sign of trouble.

When the three got to the trap the leopard said, “This is how it happened.” He jumped in the hole and told the hunter, “Roll the rock back over the top.” The hunter obliged.

The fox sat back and smiled. “See?” he called from deep in the pit, “This is how it happened. Now, hunter, show him how you let me out.”

The fox said, “Kind hunter, leave him here . . . for he would have never repaid your kindness with kindness. He is a leopard, and the minute your back was turned and your weapon lowered, he would have eaten you where you stood.”