The Jackal and the Drum of the Ancestors

The Jackal was a known thief and a liar. He heard that the Mijikenda elders had a sacred drum that, when beaten, would produce food. He snuck into the kaya where the drum was kept and stole it. He took it deep into the bush and began to beat it, expecting a feast to appear. But instead of food, the drum's rhythm called forth the angry spirits of the ancestors (koma). The spirits surrounded the terrified Jackal. "This drum is not for the greedy," they said. "Its magic only works when it is beaten for the good of the whole community." They then cursed the Jackal, saying, "Because you sought to eat alone, you will forever be a solitary scavenger, and your cry will be a lonely, mournful sound in the night." The Jackal dropped the drum and fled in terror. The elders recovered the drum, and the Jackal has been a lonely outcast ever since.