The Cheetah and the Lazy Hunter
The Cheetah and the Lazy Hunter
Long, long ago, when the world was still learning how to grow, there was a wide land full of grass, trees, and animals. In this land lived a man who was known by everyone as the lazy hunter. He had strong arms and sharp eyes, but he did not like to use them. Instead of hunting like other people in his village, he spent most of his days lying on the soft ground under a big bowbob tree.
The bowbob tree gave cool shade, and the hunter loved to sleep there. He would stretch his legs, close his eyes, and dream about food. His stomach was often empty, but he did not want to walk far or work hard.
“Oh, how I wish food could come to me,” the hunter said one afternoon. “Why should I run and hunt when my body feels so tired?”
Not far from the tree, a group of springbok were eating grass in the open field. The hunter watched them with hungry eyes, but he did not move. He only sighed and rested his head on his hands.
Suddenly, something fast ran through the grass. It was a cheetah, the fastest animal in the land. In a blink of an eye, the cheetah caught a springbok. The hunter jumped up and watched carefully. The cheetah dragged the springbok to a quiet shaded place where three small cheetah cubs were waiting.
The cubs were happy to see their mother.
“Mother! Mother!” they seemed to say as they ran to her.
The cheetah lay down, and the cubs began to eat. They were safe, loved, and well fed.
The hunter felt a strange feeling in his heart. It was not happiness. It was envy.
“Look at that,” he muttered. “The cheetah feeds her children without any trouble. I wish I could eat without hunting.”
Then a bad thought came into his mind. It was a dark and rotten idea.
“If I had those cubs,” he said quietly, “I would never go hungry. I could use them to hunt for me.”
That night, when the moon was high and the land was silent, the lazy hunter crept through the grass. The cheetah had gone to the watering hole to drink, leaving her cubs asleep in the shade.
The cubs were small and weak. Before they could wake up, the hunter grabbed all three and ran away as fast as he could. The grass bent under his feet, and branches broke behind him. Soon, the cubs were gone.
When the mother cheetah returned, the ground was empty.
“My babies?” she cried. “Where are my babies?”
She searched everywhere. She ran through the fields, sniffed the ground, and followed broken branches. She cried all day and all night.
“My children! My children!” she cried again and again.
After many days, her tears were gone. Her eyes were dry, but her heart was broken.
One morning, an old man from a nearby village heard her sad cries. He followed the sound and found the cheetah lying weak under a tree.
“What is wrong, Mother Cheetah?” the old man asked gently.
“My babies are gone,” she said softly. “Someone took them.”
The old man was wise. He understood animals and respected them.
“I will help you,” he promised. “I will find your cubs.”
He went back to the village and asked many people questions.
“Have you seen three cheetah cubs?” he asked.
One man said, “I saw the lazy hunter carrying something strange.”
Another said, “Yes, he had three cubs with him. He was trying to train them.”
The old man felt angry and sad. He knew the hunter had broken the sacred rules of the tribe. Animals were to be respected, not stolen.
The elders of the village met together.
“The lazy hunter has brought shame to us,” they said. “He is greedy and does not respect our traditions.”
They decided the hunter could no longer live in the village.
When the hunter heard this, he felt afraid and ashamed. He had lost his home because of his greed and laziness.
The cheetah cubs were returned to their mother, and she held them close.
“My babies,” she said softly. “You are safe now.”
THE END
Moral of the Story for Kids
This kids story teaches us that hard work is important. We should never take shortcuts by hurting others or stealing. The lazy hunter wanted food without effort, but his bad choices brought him shame.
The story also teaches us to respect traditions and nature. In many cultures, like Zulu culture, traditions connect people to their ancestors and teach them how to live in harmony.
When we are honest, hardworking, and kind, we bring honor to ourselves and our families. But when we are greedy and lazy, we lose trust and respect.
Story Questions and Answers for Kids
1. Who was the main character in the story?
Answer: The main character was a lazy hunter who did not like to work hard.
2. Where did the hunter like to spend most of his time?
Answer: He liked to sleep and rest under a big bowbob tree.
3. Why was the hunter always hungry?
Answer: He was hungry because he did not want to hunt or work for food.
4. What animal did the hunter see catching a springbok?
Answer: He saw a cheetah catching a springbok.
5. How many cheetah cubs did the mother cheetah have?
Answer: The mother cheetah had three cubs.
6. How did the hunter feel when he saw the cheetah feeding her cubs?
Answer: He felt jealous and wished he could get food without working.
7. What bad idea came into the hunter’s mind?
Answer: He decided to steal the cheetah cubs.
8. When did the hunter steal the cubs?
Answer: He stole them at night when the mother cheetah was away.
9. How did the mother cheetah feel when she lost her cubs?
Answer: She felt very sad and cried day and night.
10. Who came to help the crying cheetah?
Answer: A wise old man from the village came to help her.
11. How did the old man find out who took the cubs?
Answer: People in the village told him they saw the lazy hunter with the cubs.
12. Why were the village elders angry with the hunter?
Answer: They were angry because he broke the rules and disrespected their traditions.
13. What happened to the hunter in the end?
Answer: He was sent away from the village because of his bad actions.
14. What happened to the cheetah cubs?
Answer: The cubs were returned safely to their mother.
15. What lesson does this story teach children?
Answer: The story teaches us to work hard, not be greedy, and respect traditions.
Discussion Questions (For Thinking and Talking)
16. Why is it important to work hard for what we want?
Answer: Because hard work makes us honest and proud, and it helps us grow strong and responsible.
17. Was the hunter’s behavior right or wrong? Why?
Answer: It was wrong because he was lazy, greedy, and hurt others.
18. How should we treat animals and nature?
Answer: We should treat animals with kindness and respect.
19. What would you do if you were very hungry like the hunter?
Answer: I would work hard, ask for help, or find a good and honest way to get food.
20. What traditions do you follow in your family or culture?
Answer: (Children can answer based on their own family traditions.)
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