[From Hausa Superstitions and Customs: An Introduction to the Folk-Lore and the
[From Hausa Superstitions and Customs: An Introduction to the Folk-Lore and the Folk by Arthur J. N. Tremearne, 1913. See item #191 in the Bibliography.]
This is about a Hyena and a Spider.
The Spider said, “O Hyena, buy honey, and let us go and do homage to the King,” and the Hyena replied, “Agreed.”
So they bought honey, and they were traveling on and on when the Hyena said to the Spider, “I am going into the bush for a minute.” Then the Spider said, “Very well, but put down your pot of honey and leave it here until you come back.” But the Hyena replied, “Oh no, surely it is my own!” So she went into the bush and drank the honey, and when she had done so, she placed some dirt in the pot instead, and then she returned to the Spider.
When they had arrived at the city, they went and saluted the King, and they were made welcome and were given a lodging in the palace. Then they took their pots — the Spider took his pot, and the Hyena hers — and they said, “Here is the offering which we make to the King.” So the Hyena’s pot was taken and placed in the house, and the Spider’s was placed in the entrance-hall, and when the Hyena’s pot was opened, dirt was found in it, but when the Spider’s pot was examined the people found honey. So they went and told the King, and said, “Lo! In the Hyena’s pot is only dirt,” and the King answered, “Oh, very well, they have come to get something good from me; I know what kind of a good thing the Hyena will get.”
In the evening, sleeping-mats were brought, and the people said, “These are for the Hyena to sleep upon.” Then skins also were brought, and they said “These are for the Spider.”
Now the Hyena would not agree to this, but the Spider said, “Look here, Hyena, they said that I was to sleep on the skins, and you on the mats. But the Hyena replied, “No, no, a real friend would not act thus,” and so the Spider said, “Very well, but look here, if you eat the skins, you will make me ashamed of you.” So he gave her the skins, and she gave him the mats, and he went and lay down.
During the first sleep she arose and started eating the skins, and the Spider called out, “Oh, so you have begun eating them?” But she replied, “No, no, it is a mouse.” Before dawn had come, she had eaten the skins all up; there was nothing left of them. And then the Spider said, “Alright, O Hyena, how are you going to excuse yourself? How are you going to get out of the scrape?” But the Hyena replied, “Oh! Cannot we say that a thief has been here and has stolen the skins?” “Well, Hyena, even if you do say it, the King will not believe you; he will know it is you,” said the Spider. “I found a way in; I will find a way out somehow,” was Hyena’s reply. So the people told the King, and said that a thief had stolen the skins. But he replied, “Oh no, I know quite well that the Hyena has eaten them.”
Then the King said, “I will say good-bye to them today.” And he brought a bull and said to the Spider, “On account of the present which you brought to me,