Full Sky, Empty Belly

It was the beginning of things, back when it was all still being figured out - who did this or that, and who was responsible for this or that. One day, all the animals of the forest convened and decided that the first and foremost thing to organize was who made meals and when. They couldn't go around having folks starve, so they would all designate one animal as the cook.

"I know how to cook," piped up Rabbit.

Hyena glared at him. "So do I."

Lion calmed them down and took the floor, as lions are wont to do. "You both shall cook!" he declared. "And we'll decide who is better at cooking."

Rabbit and Hyena set about the forest collecting their ingredients.

Rabbit hippety-hopped around, in a manner only rabbits can do. He was a finicky eater and insisted on using only the best and freshest ingredients. He nibbled a little on this and a little on that, testing everything he came across in the forest. The things that tasted good, he nibbled on a little more, and then a little more. Pretty soon, he had nibbled his way through most of the ingredients in sight.

Hyena, however, took a different approach. He skulked through the bush for awhile, observing everything with his little yellow eyes. He thought if he could add meat to his dish, his meal would be deemed the winner. There was plenty of fresh meat, in the form of his fellow animals, but Hyena wasn't up to making a kill that day, knowing it wouldn't win him any friends. And he couldn't find any carcasses already lying around. In the end, out of frustration and weariness, he lay down.

Later that day, all the animals of the forest re-convened - excitement in their yips and roars and barks. They would be eating 2 meals that evening! Yet when Hyena and Rabbit showed up empty-handed, there was obvious disappointment written all over their faces.

"What happened?" Lion first inquired of Rabbit.

"In order to use only the best ingredients, I ended up eating ALL the ingredients," he said, hanging his head in shame.

"And you, Hyena?"

Hyena giggled in embarassment. "No meat to be found anywhere!"

And so, none of the animals of the forest had dinner that night (with the exception of Rabbit, I suppose).

To this day, the Malinkes say that if you look up at the night sky and there are no stars in sight, it was Rabbit that prepared dinner that evening. If all the stars are clearly visible, it was Hyena who made the meal.