The Cunning Hyena and the Foolish Donkey

The Tempting Offer

The dry season had arrived, and food was growing scarce. The once-green plains had turned into a sea of withered yellow, and the rivers had shrunk to thin, muddy trickles. Every creature had to fend for itself, searching far and wide for anything to eat.

The hyena, ever opportunistic, had been surviving on scraps—stealing eggs from unwatched nests, snatching fish left behind by careless herons, and even tricking other animals out of their hard-earned meals. But today, he had gone hungry.

Then, he spotted a familiar figure—a plodding, slow-footed donkey, his belly round, his eyes dull but peaceful.

"Ah, Donkey, my old friend!" called the hyena, putting on his most charming smile.

The donkey blinked and stopped mid-step. "Oh, hello, Hyena. You seem... happy."

"I am always happy when I see you," the hyena said smoothly. "You are strong, well-fed, and always in good spirits! Tell me, where do you find such plentiful food in these lean times?"

The donkey, foolish but not unkind, answered honestly. "Oh, I simply eat what little grass remains. It is not much, but it keeps me going."

The hyena feigned deep thought, then suddenly brightened. "What if I told you there was a hidden field, untouched by drought, with grass as green as spring and fruit as sweet as honey?"

The donkey's ears twitched with interest. "That sounds too good to be true."

"Ah," the hyena sighed dramatically, "that is what others think, too! Which is why the field remains untouched. But you and I... we are clever, are we not? We could feast there for days!"

Now, the donkey was not clever at all, but he liked being spoken of as if he were. "Well, if you think so... then yes, we should go!"

The hyena grinned. "Splendid! But we must be careful. The field belongs to a farmer, and we must outsmart him."

Without a second thought, the donkey agreed.

The Midnight Feast

Under the cover of darkness, they made their way to the farmer’s field. The moonlight cast long shadows over the tall, ripe crops, and the scent of fresh food filled the air.

The donkey’s stomach rumbled. "It smells amazing," he whispered, already stepping forward.

"Not so fast!" the hyena hissed, pulling him back. "We must be smart about this."

"How do we get in?" asked the donkey.

The hyena had already thought of everything. "I will dig a hole under the fence. You will crawl through first, and once you start eating, I will follow."

It seemed like a brilliant plan. The donkey, eager to taste the sweet grass, nodded enthusiastically.

The hyena, skilled at digging, soon made a hole just big enough for the donkey to squeeze through. "Hurry now, but quietly!"

The donkey crawled in and wasted no time munching on the crops, his tail swishing happily.

"Shhh!" the hyena warned. "Do not make a sound!"

But the donkey, overwhelmed by the delicious feast, couldn’t contain his joy. His munching grew louder, and soon, he let out a loud, satisfied bray.

The hyena’s eyes widened in alarm. "You fool!"

Sure enough, the farmhouse door burst open, and the farmer stormed out, carrying a thick club. "Thieves in my field!"

The hyena, already anticipating this, slipped through the hole in an instant. The donkey, in his panic, tried to follow but got stuck—his large belly wedged tightly in the hole.

The farmer raised his club and brought it down hard.

The donkey yelped as the blow landed, and with one final, desperate push, he managed to squeeze through and run. The farmer chased him for a short while, shouting curses, but eventually, he let the foolish creature go.

The donkey limped into the forest, his back aching, his pride wounded.

Another Chance

By morning, the donkey found a shady spot under a baobab tree to rest. But before long, the hyena appeared, smirking.

"What happened, my friend?" he asked, as if he didn’t already know.

"The farmer caught me," the donkey groaned. "I barely escaped."

"Ah," the hyena sighed. "Such bad luck! But do not despair! I have discovered an even better place."

The donkey hesitated. "Another place?"

"Yes! The king’s garden! Surely, if the farmer’s field was this wonderful, imagine how much better the food of a king must be!"

The donkey, still sore from his previous mistake, hesitated. "But… what if we get caught again?"

The hyena waved a paw dismissively. "Nonsense! This time, I have a perfect plan. Trust me."

And the donkey, too foolish to learn, did.

The Royal Trap

Under the veil of darkness, they crept toward the king’s private garden. High walls surrounded it, but the hyena had found a way in.

"See that stack of barrels?" he whispered. "Climb them, and you will land inside the garden. I will keep watch while you eat."

The donkey, believing the hyena’s words, climbed the barrels and toppled over into the garden.

The scent of fresh fruit was intoxicating. Forgetting all caution, he feasted greedily.

But the hyena had never planned to follow. He waited in the shadows, watching, snickering.

And soon enough, the guards spotted the intruder.

"Thief!" they shouted.

The donkey, startled, tried to run—but the high walls trapped him. The guards descended upon him with sticks, delivering a harsh beating before tossing him back outside.

The hyena, laughing quietly, watched as the bruised and battered donkey limped away.

The Final Trick

Still aching, the donkey swore to himself, *No more schemes, no more tricks.*

But the hyena, ever the deceiver, had one last plan.

"There is a wedding feast in the village," he told the donkey. "If we sneak in, we will eat our fill!"

Desperate and hungry, the donkey agreed.

But the villagers recognized him instantly.

"It’s the thief from the king’s garden!" someone shouted.

The donkey was caught and tied to a post, left as a spectacle for all to mock.

From the safety of the shadows, the hyena smirked. "Some creatures never learn."

And with that, he disappeared into the night.