Congo Folklore Tales: Stories I–VI

V. Why the Dog and the Palm-rat hate each other

One day the Dog, the Palm-rat, the Hawk, and the Eagle arranged to take
a journey together, but before starting they agreed not to thwart each
other in any matter.

They had not gone very far when the Eagle saw a bunch of unripe
palm-nuts, and said: “When these palm-nuts are ripe, and I have eaten
them, then we will proceed on our way.”

They waited many days until the palm-nuts ripened and were eaten by the
Eagle, then they started again, and by and by the Hawk espied the bush
(a great space covered with tall grass, canes, and stunted trees), and
said: “When this bush is burnt, and I have eaten the locusts, and drunk
in the smoke from the fire, then we will go.”

So they waited while the bush dried, and was burnt, and the Hawk ate his
locusts, and drank in the smoke from the burning grass, then they were
ready to start again; but when the Palm-rat saw the bush was burnt, he
said: “We remain here until the grass and canes have grown again, so
that I may eat the young canes, for remember we agreed not to thwart or
oppose each other on this journey.”

They waited there some months until the canes grew again, and the
Palm-rat had eaten them.

Once more they started on their travels, and on reaching a large forest
the Dog said: “Now I will dry my nose.”

His companions answered: “All right, we will go for firewood.”

The Palm-rat and the Hawk fetched the wood, and the Eagle went for the
fire. The Dog put his nose near the fire, but every time it dried he
made it wet again by licking it. They remained a long time in the
forest, but the Dog’s nose never became properly dry: it was an endless
job. His companions became vexed, and the Hawk and the Eagle flew away,
leaving the Palm-rat and the Dog alone. At last the patience of the
Palm-rat was exhausted, and he, too, ran away; but the Dog chased him to
kill him, and this is the reason why the Dog and the Palm-rat hate each
other. He would not wait until the Dog’s nose was dry.