The Arachnid in the Provision Chamber
The fauna of the township, with prudent foresight, did safeguard their grain within a communal provision chamber, that they might possess sustenance against the exigencies of famine.
Arachnid, with stealth and guile, did repair thither daily, partaking surreptitiously of the grain so stored.
Furthermore, he did collect the excrement of the Hyena within a calabash, discharging it anon within the confines of the provision chamber.
When famine, with its gaunt visage, did descend, the fauna betook themselves unto their provision chamber.
''Tis devoid!' they did exclaim with lamentation.
Then did their gaze alight upon the dung, and they cried out, 'That is the excrement of the Hyena!'
'But I protest my innocence,' quoth the Hyena.
Arachnid rejoined, 'The evidence doth speak contrariwise.'
They did pursue the Hyena far from the township, and now she doth suffer isolation, bereft of companionship amongst the fauna.
All by reason of the machinations of Arachnid.
Concerning the Jackal and Hyena, Who Entered into Service
The Jackal and the Hyena did, in concert, enter into the service of a selfsame gentleman as his menials.
As the night did advance, the Jackal arose and purloined from the pantry, consuming the entirety of the lard within the lard-tub. Subsequently, he did expunge what remained and besmirched the Hyena’s tail whilst she lay in slumber profound.
Upon the morrow, the gentleman did exclaim, “Pray tell, who hath consumed the entirety of the lard?”
Firstly, he did accuse the Jackal of this transgression.
“Nay, sir, not I,” the Jackal did protest. “Nay, not I! Attend but to the tail of the Hyena, and thou shalt discern the perpetrator.”
Thereupon, the gentleman did thrash the Hyena until she was nigh unto death, whilst
The Jackal did merely indulge in laughter.
King Lion and the Corn-Thief
It had come to pass that someone was purloining corn from the cultivated fields.
'I shall apprehend and dispatch the miscreant!' King Lion did thunder forth.
He lay in ambush, and apprehended Rabbit.
'I am no thief!' Rabbit did protest. 'I arrived to bestow upon thee this crown!' He presented unto Lion a crown. 'Recline against this arboreal specimen, and I shall crown thee.'
Rabbit, under the pretence of making room for the crown, did part Lion's mane, though in verity he was securing Lion's hair to the tree.
Lion was ensnared!
Then Rabbit did disseminate corn husks around Lion.
'Thief!' Rabbit vociferated. 'Come hither and behold the thief!'
All the animals congregated and did beat Lion to death for the theft of their corn.
The Hare, the Baboon, and the Ground-Nuts
The Hare and the Baboon, in concert, didst pilfer from a ground-nut garden.
As they partook of this repast, the Hare declared, “Let us engage in a diverting contest involving our digits!”
“Nay,” quoth the Baboon, “for I am employing my digits in the consumption of these nuts.”
“With our maws, then!”, the Hare persisted.
“Nay, for I am presently utilising my maw,” the Baboon rejoined.
“With our orbs!”, the Hare proposed next.
“Nay, for I am presently utilising my orbs,” the Baboon stated.
“With our caudal appendages!”
“Aye, that I shall do,” the Baboon assented, “but thou must needs demonstrate the proper execution of this game.”
“'Tis simplicity itself,” said the Hare, as he seized the Baboon’s caudal appendage and secured it to a stake driven into the earth. Then didst the Hare vociferate, “Attend, ye populace! Attend, ye canines! The Baboon doth purloin your ground-nuts!”
Whilst the populace and the canines did assail the Baboon, the Hare absconded, convulsed with merriment.
The Wildcat and the Monkey
The Wildcat, fatigued by a protracted night of venery, sought repose, yet slumber eluded her grasp, owing to the vexatious assaults of fleas.
Presently, her gaze alighted upon the Monkey.
'Pray assist me, Monkey!' she entreated, her voice heavy with lament. 'Deign to extricate these parasitic creatures from my person.'
'With alacrity!' responded the Monkey.
The Monkey assiduously plucked away the fleas, whereupon the Wildcat succumbed to slumber.
Subsequently, the Monkey ceased his exertions. He seized the Wildcat's caudal appendage and secured it to a tree. Thereafter, he smote her upon the cranium to rouse her, and fled, his mirthful exclamations echoing through the arboreal expanse.
When the Wildcat essayed to pursue the Monkey, she realised her predicament, being firmly ensnared.
'Thou shalt rue this transgression, Monkey!' she vociferated.
The Wildcat harboured a desire for retribution.