The Jackal and the Hare's Farming Contest

The Jackal and the Hare were both farmers, but the Jackal was strong and the Hare was clever. They had a contest to see who could clear the most land in one day. The Jackal worked tirelessly under the hot sun, using his strength to uproot bushes and trees. The Hare, meanwhile, went into his field and simply set a controlled fire. The fire did the work for him, clearing the entire field in a fraction of the time. At the end of the day, the Hare's field was perfectly cleared, while the Jackal was exhausted and had only cleared a small patch. "How did you do this?" panted the Jackal. "You used your strength," said the Hare, "but I used the strength of the fire. True skill is not in working hard, but in knowing which forces of nature to ask for help." The Dogon see fire as a transformative element, and this story teaches that intelligence and the proper use of natural forces are superior to brute, thoughtless labour.