The Reason Cheetahs Chirp And Have Tear Marks On Their Faces (short story) by Karla Dorman, The StormSpinner on AuthorsDen

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The Reason Cheetahs Chirp And Have Tear Marks On Their Faces
By Karla Dorman, The StormSpinner
Posted: Tuesday, May 21, 2002
Last edited: Tuesday, May 21, 2002

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~~~DO YOU EVER WONDER WHY THE CHEETAH SOUNDS LIKE A BIRD AND LOOKS LIKE THEY'VE BEEN CRYING?~~~

~~~LET THE STORY BEGIN, LET THE STORY BE TOLD~~~

Many years ago, many, MANY years ago, on the continent of Africa, a wicked, lazy Hunter was sitting in the shade under a tree, thinking.

"It is too hot for me to be out there hunting," he thought to himself. "But...if I don't hunt, I will STARVE! I wonder...is there any way I can get someone to hunt FOR me??"

As he was sitting there, thinking about a way to make his life easier (since he was so lazy), he spied a Mother Cheetah in the distance. She was seeking food for herself and her Babies; it had been several days since they'd eaten, and they would have to eat soon or else they would die.

The Hunter watched the Mother Cheetah. She spotted some fine looking Thompson's Gazelle grazing. She crouched down in the tall grass, staring at them with unblinking amber colored eyes. She slowly started to creep towards them, stalking. Closer...and closer...and closer...she came. A Gazelle that had foolishly wandered away from its brothers and sisters caught her eye. That would be the one she selected as her prey.

The Gazelle grazed, not paying attention. Suddenly, in a burst of blinding speed, the Mother Cheetah leapt up from her hiding spot and took off after the Gazelle.

Panicked, the Gazelle turned this way and that way and this way and that; each direction it turned, Mother Cheetah was right on its heels, matching turn for turn. Mother Cheetah reached out her paw and snagged the Gazelle's hind leg; both went down in a cloud of dust. In a matter of seconds, the chase was over. Mother Cheetah was successful! She and her Babies would eat today. She quickly killed the Gazelle and called to her Children, saying, "Come, Children! Come and eat!"

Mother Cheetah dragged her prize to the edge of a clearing; her three Children--two boys and a girl--met her there. She rested whilst her young ones ate. She was exhausted...although Cheetahs are the fastest land Animals, clocked at nearly 70 miles an hour, they can only keep up that speed for short distances; they tire out too easily. Finally, when her Babies had had their fill, Mother Cheetah was able to eat. After satisfying their hunger, they rested, purring and content.

The wicked Hunter had watched this all transpire and was amazed. "O, what a fine hunter Mother Cheetah is!" he marveled. "So fast!! If she's fast, I'll bet my hair her Babies are even faster (younger, you know). If I could get one of her Babies away from her, I'd be able to train it to hunt for me and I wouldn't have to work so hard." (Like he ever worked much at all...he was the laziest hunter in the Village.) An evil grin spread across his face at the audacity of his plan. Now, how to carry it out...no one would ever know.

He thought. Unbeknownst to the wicked Hunter, a Bird sitting in the tree overheard his plot. It decided to tell the Wisest Elder, who lived many, many miles away. The Bird began its flight, flying as fast as it could. The Mother Cheetah's Babies might be in danger!

When the sun began its descent towards the Western Horizon, Mother Cheetah concealed her Babies under a low bush. "Stay here, my Babies," she admonished them gently. "I'm going to get a drink of water, now that it's cooled off. I shan't be long. I love you," she purred, giving each of her three Babies a loving lick on their faces; and then set off.

The Hunter wasn't far behind. He found the bush that hid the Babies; since they were still young, they weren't afraid when he called to them. They came out from their hiding spot. They, being young and full of energy from their earlier meal, began to play. The Hunter watched, deciding which of the three he wanted. "I like that one--no, that--THAT one--it's so hard to choose! That's it...I'll take all three of them!! Three Cheetah Babies are better than one! Three Cheetahs will be able to hunt three times as much food! I'll never have to hunt again!!" He brought out a bag and caught the three Babies and put them in it, then took them to his hut.

Mother Cheetah returned from the water-hole a little while later. She called for her Babies.

No answer.

She called again. Nothing.

"Maybe they're still full and are asleep," she thought. She tried again...no answering replies.

Getting scared now, she called again and again, desperately. She went to the spot she had hidden her Babies and discovered that they were missing!!

Mother Cheetah was broken hearted. Tears started trickling down her face as she cried out again and again for her little ones. She wept and wept, like she'd never done before.

She called for her Babies all that night.

She called for her Babies all through the next day.

She cried so long and so hard that the Wisest Elder, who was approaching the Village, heard her distress. He saw the poor Mother Cheetah sobbing; dark stains marked her sweet face from the inside corners of her eyes down to the outside corners of her mouth. "Why, Mother Cheetah, Why Are You Carrying On So? Why Are You Crying So Long And So Hard?" (This is how all Wise Elders talk.) He knew the answer already (being the Wisest of all Wise Elders), but He wanted to hear it for Himself. Mother Cheetah could hardly talk, she was crying so hard, but she told Him that her Babies were missing and nowhere to be found!

"Mother Cheetah," the Wisest Elder said in a soothing Voice, "I Know Where They Are. They Are At The Hunter's Hut. Do Not Worry, Dear...They Are Safe And Unharmed. The Hunter Is So Lazy And Wicked, That When He Saw You Hunting, It Gave Him The Idea That He Could Steal One Of Your Children And Train It To Hunt For Him So He Wouldn't Have To Do Any More Work. He Couln't Decide Which Of Your Babies He Liked Best, So He Stole All Three. The Hunter Has Broken THE LAW OF THE TRIBE, Which States:

"A HUNTER MUST ONLY RELY ON HIS OWN STRENGTH AND INGENUITY AND SKILL. HE SHALL NOT HAVE OTHERS HUNTING FOR HIM UNLESS HE IS SICK AND UNABLE TO DO SO. ANY FORM OF HUNTING, OTHER THAN THROUGH HIS OWN SKILL, UNLESS HE IS SICK, IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN; IT WILL SHAME HIS VILLAGE, HIS FAMILY, AND HIMSELF, AND HE MUST BE DRIVEN FROM THE LAND, NEVER TO RETURN AGAIN.

"The Village People Are Dealing With Him Now And He Shall Never Bother You Or Your Children Again."

With this, the Villagers booted the Hunter out of the Village. They found the Babies, safe and unharmed, just as the Wisest Elder had promised, and returned them to a grateful Mother Cheetah.

Mother Cheetah made a declaration. "I wish to Honor the Bird. From this moment henceforth, I shall Chirp when I call out. This is to let all Birds know that it is because of them I have been reunited with my Children, that they are safe, and that the Bird saved the Lives of my Babies. From this moment on, all Cheetahs shall Chirp like Birds to thank and Honor them."

But Mother Cheetah had cried for so long and so hard that the tear stains marking her face were permanent.

To this day, all Baby Cheetahs are born with black tear markings on their lovely faces, from the inside corners of their eyes to the outside corners of their mouth, as a tribute to that loving Mother Cheetah.

FOR THIS REASON, THE CHEETAH IS CALLED THAT 'CAT THAT CRIES.'

~~~NOW THE STORY HAS ENDED AND HAS BEEN TOLD~~~

Reader Reviews for "The Reason Cheetahs Chirp And Have Tear Marks On Their Faces"

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Reviewed by Patricia Shaw 5/23/2007

I was seeing each movement-as a child sees the stories images. I thought while reading this beautiful folklore, how wonderful the illustrations would be for a condensed childrens book. Warm visions of family and our ties to the land, our home! Great teaching material.

Reviewed by Kathleen Herrick 3/13/2007

A right good write, a perfect story. Love it.

Reviewed by m j hollingshead 2/24/2005

enjoyed the read

Reviewed by Andre Bendavi ben-YEHU 4/10/2004

"The Reason Cheetahs Chirp And Have Tear Marks On Their Faces" is unique and profound. This is one of the most impressive that I read in my life. I mean, most impressive and profound in message, and artistic style.

I would like to see this story distributed in every school in the world, for it flows inducing heedful attention and reaches the light inducing respect to the LAWS, and showing the importance of one's work.

If we in USA, including the last nine Presidents respected the USA Magna Laws, we wouldn't have thirty million people - American People -as survivals of careless Government, and living below Poverty Line.

My respect, gratitude and admiration to You, Author Karla J. Dorman.

Andre Emmanuel Bendavi ben-YEHU

Reviewed by Kate Clifford 5/21/2002

I love these kind of stories. It fullfills the child in me that loved to listen to stories being told of why things are the way they are. Great write!

Reviewed by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado 5/21/2002

BEAUTIFULLY TOLD!!!!

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