ANIMAL INSTINCTS: The Hunter and the Leopard .......by Babatunde Ogunlana

ANIMAL  INSTINCTS; The Hunter and the Leopard......by Babatunde Ogunlana

Agbede was a prominent hunter in Agbado Village. His prominence was not attained from hunting but from his ownership of a leopard which was tamed and domesticated for entertainment. He had returned from hunting one morning with the spotted animal around his neck.

An unusual catch for a hunter indeed who was known for killing, but this day, Agbede became a hero as the entire village and neighbouring settlements gathered to catch a glimpse of his hunting escapade. The cub had been retrieved from its mother who escaped with wounds inflicted on it by Agbede’s gunpowder. The king summoned Agbede and warned him of the danger the young leopard posed to the entire community.

‘’It is only a baby’’ he retorted ‘’ besides, I have tamed it, it cannot harm anybody. Its a  domestic leopard’’ he insisted. Soon his fame spread throughout the region as he became a popular entertainer at coronation ceremonies, traditional festivals and rites of passage for dignitaries in and out of Agbado village. As the cub grew and Agbede’s  strength wane, he relinquish the leopard to his son (Odewaye) to look after, being his only child. One day, Odewale took the leopard to the stream for washing when he stumbled over a hill and bruised his knee and bled.

His only companion, (the leopard) was sorry and sad, but could not help him in any way. As the bleeding continued, it moved closer to him, wagged its tail and curled itself around him, a mutual sign of friendship between the duo. Thereafter ,it began to lick the blood from the wound as a dressing. While at it, it made an unusual squeak sound and looked steadily direct into Odewale’s eyes, a gesture which he mistook for empathy and gently stroke his hands repeatedly on its back.

The cat resumed its ‘dressing’ and made a second sound. This time, its eye balls turned round and its ‘’tamed’’ claws grew out of their shield and it attacked him mercilessly drawing more blood. He died in the jaws of his ‘harmless’ friend whom he thought he had under control....(tamed).

The moral of the story............do not cast your pearls before swine, an animal will always be an animal.