Why the Hyena Laughs

In the beginning, the Hyena had a normal voice. But he was a deeply envious and unhappy creature. He was jealous of the Lion's strength, the Leopard's beauty, and the Gazelle's speed. He went to Eshu, the trickster Orisha who stands at the crossroads of fate, and complained. "Eshu, everyone has a gift but me. Make me the most feared animal in the bush." Eshu listened and said, "I will grant your wish, but there is a price. You must give me your voice." The Hyena, eager for power, immediately agreed. Eshu took his voice, and in its place, he gave the Hyena a strange, high-pitched cackle that sounded like a madman's laugh. The other animals, hearing this terrifying, unnatural sound, did indeed become afraid of the Hyena, seeing him as a creature of madness. The Hyena got his wish—he was feared—but he had lost the ability to speak, to cry, or to sing. All he could do was laugh, a constant, chilling reminder of the voice he had traded for a power he could not truly enjoy.