Tākaro

Tākaro i runga i te Giggle Academy

Tākaro i runga i te Giggle Academy

The Jackal and the Elephant Carcass

Kaituhi

Giggle Academy

A heartwarming fable about friendship and greed, where two jackals find a dead elephant and share its meat, but greed leads to loneliness. The story teaches young readers the value of sharing and companionship through simple, engaging storytelling.

5 - 8 tau te pakeke

One morning, two jackals found a dead elephant in the forest. It lay near the rocks, still and huge.

The first jackal said, “What luck! This will feed us for days.”

The second jackal licked his lips. “Let’s eat together.”

For many days, they shared the meat. They ate, rested, and told stories under the shade.

But soon, the second jackal grew greedy.

“This is too good,” he thought. “Why should I share?”

He waited until the first jackal went to the river. Then he rolled in the meat, scattered bones, and dragged branches over the best parts.

When the first jackal returned, he sniffed the air. “Where is the rest?”

“Gone,” said the greedy jackal. “Birds took it. Nothing left.”

The first jackal frowned. “I smell lies.”

But the greedy one growled. “Go away! This is mine now!”

Hurt and angry, the first jackal left.

The greedy jackal ate alone. He chewed and guarded the meat day and night.

But soon, the meat began to rot. Buzzing flies came. The smell turned sour.

No more jackals came to visit. Not even the birds. The greedy jackal sat beside the bones—tired, lonely, and sick.

“I chased away my friend,” he whispered. “For this?”

From far off, the wind carried a howl—the sound of his old friend, laughing with others.

And the greedy jackal closed his eyes, full but empty.

Because meat may fill the belly, but friendship fills the heart. And food shared tastes better than food guarded.