Once upon a time a woman was about to bear, but as she suffered a great deal her husband went to seek the advice of a medicine man. While he was gone two hyenas arrived at the door of the hut and looked in. They then went away and on the road met another hyena, whom they informed that they had witnessed a woman giving birth to twins, one a boy and the other a girl. The third hyena said: “Poor things, one will be killed by a buffalo and the other will die in childbirth.” The husband passed at this moment and heard what the hyenas were saying. He went on his way and when he reached his house he found that his wife was the mother of twins, one a boy and the other a girl. He guessed therefore that the hyenas had talked about his wife and children.

Some years passed and the children grew up and were circumcised, after which the girl was married. Not long afterwards, however, she died in childbirth. The father remembered what the hyenas had said, and took great care of his son.

One day when the two men were herding their cattle on the grazing grounds a buffalo suddenly appeared in their midst. The warrior wished to go and kill it, but his father, remembering the prophecy, forced him to remain behind, whilst he himself with a few friends went and slew the animal. The old man was very pleased when he saw the dead beast at his feet, and cried out: 'What now, O hyenas, I have defeated you.' But when his son went to look at the dead buffalo he tripped over a stone, and fell on the upturned horn, which pierced his body, and he died.