The wild dog and the wild cat have long been friends. One fine day, when they were greatly annoyed by the surrounding residents, they decided to give up robbery and do some useful work; the choice fell on the production of raban, because it promised greater benefits than other crafts.
After discussing everything, they bought raffia. When it came time to wash and knead the fiber to make it soft and flexible, the cat said to the dog:
“I have sharp claws, I can tear raffia, and I’m too light to crush such hard, unyielding fibers.” You do it yourself, and then I will tie the threads.
The simple-minded dog went to a nearby stream to wash and crush the raffia. When she returned, the cat asked her to tie the threads at the same time. The dog was done with this task, it was necessary to start weaving.
- Dear friend! - exclaimed the cat, - I have never weaved raban in my life, I will only spoil the raffia. Now, when we weave silk, I will show you what a craftswoman I am.
The kind dog wove rabans and asked his crafty companion to go to the market and sell them. The cat did not know what to do: at the market, people from the village could have beaten her to death.
But she so wanted to eat the meat she bought with the money alone! She decided to go.
As soon as people saw the cat, they started throwing stones at it. The cat immediately returned to the hut and told the dog about his failure. The dog really wanted to try his luck himself. At the market she received twelve coins for rabans and bought meat with them. Without eating a single bite, she returned home. As soon as the dog appeared, the cat screamed:
“We must quickly take the meat to the tree, otherwise someone stronger than you and me will come and take it away.”
The cunning creature took the meat to a tree and calmly ate it. In vain the dog tried with threats and pleas to get at least a piece - all she got was the smell. Exhausted from fatigue and hunger, she fell at the foot of a tree and immediately died, damning all her descendants who would not avenge her death.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru