Dassie vs Leopard

One of the silly Bushmen stories, that brought laughter around the fire, is this one about the cheeky little dassie. Probably interesting to remember that Dassie is the wife of !Kaggen. Dassie's two mortal enemies are the black eagle (from the sky) and the caracal or rooikat.

Picture Sprinkaan and the old Bushman sitting around the fire, sharing this story. In his dramatic way Jakob started the story with big eyes and a low gritty knowing voice:

“Let me tell you, Sprinkaan, the dassie—small and round—may be closer to the stones than the sky, but she’s cleverer than any claw or fang.

Once, high on the rocky ledges, the leopard roamed, his eyes sharp, his paws silent. Every creature feared him—except the dassie.

One day, the leopard called out:

‘Dassie, come down from your rock. Let me see if that tail of yours hides magic.’

The dassie, cheeky as ever, replied:

‘Oh mighty leopard, my tail is weak and tangled—just look at your own beautiful tail! Surely you hold more magic than I ever could.’

The leopard hissed:

‘If you speak so, then dance for me—you love dancing.’

The dassie began to shake herself on the rock—her bottom jiggling like a sack of sand. She thumped it against the stone in a funny, round dance.

The leopard, confused by the odd rhythm, tried to mimic her jig. But his muscles were too long, his paws too wide. He stumbled, his tail tangled in a crevice. His roar echoed—and the dassie leaped away laughing, her round rump disappearing into a safe crack in the cliff.

From that day, the leopard learned: even the smallest creature has its own magic. And the dassie? She still sits in the rocks, quietly smiling, living on her wits.”

Jakob winked at Sprinkaan.

“So remember, boy—never underestimate the clever sister! Even the claw of the sky can be tricked by the rump of the rock.”

This is also one of the stories Sprinkaan remembered during his travels into the Cederberg. It features in the latest part that I have added to my story on Sprinkaan.