Congo Folklore Tales: Stories I–VI

III. How the Animals imitated the Gazelle and brought Trouble upon Themselves

Once upon a time a Leopard gave birth to seven cubs, and she asked the
Jackal to act as nurse for her while she was away hunting.

Shortly after the departure of the Leopard the Gazelle arrived, and said
to the Jackal: “Let us eat one of the cubs and then you will have six
left.”

“What shall I do when the Leopard returns?” asked the Jackal.

“Oh! I will help you,” quickly promised the Gazelle.

Thereupon the Jackal gave up a cub, and then another, and another, until
at last all the cubs were eaten.

The Gazelle then tied the Jackal to a tree and said: "When you hear the
Leopard coming, shout out loudly, ‘Murder! Thieves!’"

In a little time the Jackal heard the Leopard bounding through the
forest, and he began to cry out: “We are robbed! we are robbed! Help!
Thieves!”

“What is the matter? What are you crying about?” asked the Leopard.

“Oh!” sobbed the Jackal, “I don’t know at all who tied me up, but all of
your children are eaten.” The Leopard, on hearing this, was very angry.

The reckless, daring Gazelle scampered off, and by and by reached a
place where all the animals were gambling with dice. A Pigeon gave him
the dice to throw, and the Gazelle threw a “Leopard” (the name of a
winning throw). “Oh, dear me!” said the Gazelle, when he saw his luck,
“I have eaten seven young leopards, and nothing has happened to me.”

The other animals thought this was a lucky saying, so they repeated the
words every time they threw the dice. The Gazelle warned them not to
imitate the sayings of others, or trouble would come upon them. But
they, thinking he only wanted to keep his good luck to himself, repeated
the words more earnestly. The Gazelle slipped away to call the Leopard,
and begged her not to be angry with what she would hear.

The Leopard went to the games, and when she heard one animal after
another say: “Oh, dear me! I have eaten seven young leopards, and
nothing has happened to me,” she became so angry that she fought with
the different animals and killed them all. As for the Gazelle, he took
himself out of the way. Thus the animals, through apeing others, lost
their lives.