One day, the hyena's son died.

A donkey heard the news. He ran to his relatives and said, "The hyena's son is dead."

All the other donkeys said, "The hyena's son? That's good news. All the hyenas are our enemies."

One old donkey said, "Brothers, we must go to the hyena's funeral and show respect."

"What? Go to the hyena's funeral?" The other donkeys said. "We don't want to go. We're frightened. The hyenas will eat us."

"Listen," said the old donkey. "If we don't go, the hyenas will be angry with us. They will have a reason to eat us."

"You are right," said all the other donkeys. "We must go to the hyena's funeral. If we go, the hyenas will be happy with us. Perhaps they will become our friends."

The hyenas saw the donkeys outside their house. "Why are the donkeys here? Have they come to laugh at us?" The hyenas wondered.

The donkeys heard the hyenas. They were frightened and they began to sing as follows:

Great hyenas, you hunt all night. And we hear you sing in the cold moonlight.

Your teeth are long. Your eyes are bright. Though your food is black, your dung is white.

But now your son lies on his bed. And he is dead! Our lord is dead!

The dead hyena's uncle answered them with another song:

Your song is good. Your words are sweet. Come in, dear donkeys. Take a seat!

But what did you bring for us to eat? Hyenas are hungry. Hyenas want meat!

The donkeys were very frightened now.
"Let's run away," said one.

"We can't. The hyenas will chase us," said another.

The oldest donkey said, "My lords, we came to show respect to you. We are sorry that your son is dead. We will pray to God to comfort you. Now we must go back to our home."

The donkeys began to go.

"Wait!" the hyenas said. "You cannot leave. You must give us something to eat. Cut off your lips and give them to us."

The donkeys looked at each other.

"If we give them our lips, perhaps they will let us go," they thought.

The hyenas cut off the donkeys' lips, and ate them.

Again, the donkeys tried to go.

"Stop!" Cried the dead hyena's uncle. "My brothers, will you let these donkeys go? Look at them! We can see their teeth! They are laughing at us!"

"They are laughing! They are laughing!" said all the hyenas.

They jumped on the donkeys. They killed them, and began to eat them.

Before the oldest donkey died, he looked at the hyenas.

He said sadly, "Wicked hyenas, we came with our song to comfort you but we were wrong! Next time you are hungry, don't pretend that you need a reason to eat your friend!"