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The Leopard and the Python · African Jungle Tales

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  Section twenty seven of African Jungle Tales by Carl Bender. This LibriVox recording is
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  in the public domain. The Leopard and the Python. The leopard was a
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  most proud and self conceited fellow, and to have undisputed dominion his one consuming
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  desire. He was a courageous fellow too, But there existed at least two
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  things that he feared, the trap and the gun. One day he heard
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  the firing of a gun. This reminded him anew of the obstacles that stood
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  in his way. He got so wrought up about it that, in a
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  fit of wild rage, he roared, if it were not for the trap
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  and the gun, the whole jungle and all that it contains would be mine
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  and mine alone. Besides these two, there is nothing that I fear.
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  When the python heard the boastful words of the leopard, he was not a
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  little put out about it, and said, just wait, you braggart,
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  I'll show you. The python was determined to carry out his threat at once.
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  His plans were quickly made. Calling the antelope, he said to him,
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  friend, I have a bone to pick with leopard, who is your
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  enemy as well as mine, and I need your help do just as I
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  tell you, and you shall not regret it. Now listen, we'll go
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  to the trail over yonder, where the leopard must pass shortly on his way
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  to the brook. I'll wait for him there, cover me well with driben
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  anta leave so nothing can be seen of me. When you are done,
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  you go to the place where you hear the leopard roaring when he runs after
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  you to catch you. Then you hurry back to this place and stand directly
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  behind me. The rest you leave to me, and the antelope did as
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  he was told. When the leopard saw the antelope coming, he at once
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  bounded forward to catch him, but the antelope turned about and fled toward the
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  place where the python was hiding, with the leopard in close pursuit. When
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  the antelope had reached the place where the python was lying in ambush, he
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  stood still and waited for the leopard to come up. The leopard at first
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  seemed puzzled by the strange action of the antelope, but thinking that the antelope
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  had met with an accident and was for this reason unable to go any further,
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  he rushed on again, quite sure of his prey. When the leopard
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  had reached the place, and before he ever had a chance to take the
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  antelope, the python suddenly shot up and coiled himself around him, threatening to
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  crush the very life out of him. The leopard roared and wriggled for pain.
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  After a while, the python said to the leopard, why did you
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  not mention me in your rage? As one you are afraid of the trap
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  and the gun you mentioned. By this time, the leopard was held in
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  such a tight grip that there was danger of his life being utterly crushed out
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  of him. Fearing the worst, he piteously entreated the python and said,
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  python, brother, do have mercy on me, and let loose a bit,
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  and I shall roar in a manner to satisfy you. And the python
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  had mercy and loosened his hold. Then the leopard roared with a loud voice,
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  so that everybody should hear. If it were not for the trap and
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  the gun, the jungle and everything in it would belong to the python and
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  me to us. Two alone were again said the python, and the leopard
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  roared again, saying the same words as before. Now let me have one
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  of your claws, said the python. This the leopard did, and the
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  python took the claw and wore it as a spur on the tip of his
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  tail. In this wise it became known that the leopard and the python are
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  the two strongest and most feared animals in the African jungle. Author's note Jakweli,
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  end of section twenty seven, read by Lord Gibbs,