Two Close Calls

- Morocco -

One day a he-goat was browsing on the mountain side. Toward noon when the sun was high, he came to the mouth of a cave and decided to go inside to rest till the heat of the day was over. But to his horror, when he stepped into the cool shade he found himself face to face with a lion. “I must think of some way to save my life,” he said to himself. “What do you want?” growled the lion. The goat stared fixedly at the lion for a while. Then he said, “I am one of the angels of heaven. The Lord of Creation has sent me to kill seven lions and seven hyenas and seven jackals. I was checking to see if your markings fit the description of the animals I must destroy. No, you are not one of them. You are destined to live long. Take your ease here in your cave while I continue on my search.” And the goat walked out of the cave.

          The lion was shaken by what had passed. When he met the jackal a little while later, the jackal asked, “What’s wrong?” “I have just seen a creature sent by God to devour seven lions, seven jackals, and seven hyenas. Luckily it is my destiny to be spared. But you had better be on guard and look out for yourself!” “What was this creature like?” asked the jackal. “Black,” said the lion, “with a long beard and thick, matted hair.” “It sounds like a goat,” laughed the jackal. “You should taste his flesh – then you would know what a heavenly mouthful it is! let’s go find him.”

          And off they went, one behind the other, until they saw the goat in the distance. “This time there is no escape,” thought the goat to himself, and he began to tremble for his life. Meanwhile the lion and the jackal were closing in on him. When they came within earshot, the goat bellowed to the jackal, “O you son of a cur! Why are you bringing me this lion? I have already examined him and he’s not the right one. That’s not the lion I asked you to bring to me!”

When the lion heard the goat, he pounced on the jackal and lifted him to the sky and dashed him to the ground till every bone in his body was broken. Then he went away while the he-goat returned to the safety of th tents.

Arab folktales – Inea Bushnaq