Jackal, Hyena, and Lion

Long ago the hyena and the lion had their cattle. Then the cow of the hyena was a female; as for the cow of the lion, it was an ox. The hyena and the lion took turns taking care of the two animals. One day the lion would herd them and the next day the hyena would herd them. Eventually the cow of the hyena became pregnant and one day gives birth on the day that the lion was herding the cattle. After the cow gave birth, the lion took the calf of the cow of the hyena and placed it with his ox. Then he caught a baby tiang (hartebeest) and came and put it with the cow of the hyena. When the lion brought the cattle to the homestead, he came and told the hyena, “This one is the calf to which your cow gave birth. This other one is the one to which my ox gave birth.” The hyena says to the lion, “No way. Since when do male cows give birth? This one is the calf of my cow.” The hyena and the lion quarreled on and on until eventually they went and collected arbitrators. These arbitrators talked on and on, but there was no one who could make a judgment. Finally, the arbitrators said, “Let us send a message to Jackal to come and see about this matter.” When Jackal received the message, he said, “Good. I will go.” Then Jackal dug many holes until when he neared the place of the court he came out and smeared his body with red gum so that he was completely red. When he suddenly appeared to the people of the court in the late afternoon, the lion says to him, “Jackal, what were you doing? Why have we been waiting for you for a long time?” Jackal replies, “I came earlier, and on the path I found dry mud fighting. I have been separating them until this time. Look at the blood which they smeared on me until I became completely red.” The lion says, “Since when have we found mud that fights?” Jackal replies, “And you, since when have we found a male which gives birth?” All the animals say to each other, “It is judged. It is judged. Jackal is right. The cow of the hyena wins the calf.”