Why hippos don’t eat fish
Long ago, the ancestors of our hippos were land-dwelling animals. However, the hippos were greedy and, finding plenty of grass and no enemies, they ate grass nonstop, which made them fat and stretched their skin. This sadly made them vulnerable to the sun’s heat. Eventually, its skin got so thin that the hippo couldn’t bear the sun at all.
So the hippo looked up to the supreme god Engai and requested, “Please, good lord Engai, allow me to leave these hot plains and forests. The heat of the sun here is killing me. Please let me live in the cool, clear waters of your rivers and lakes.”
However, Engai has already allowed another large animal, the crocodile, to inhabit the waters. Besides, Hippos had such a huge appetite and big mouths and sharp teeth that he was afraid hippos would eat all the fish in the water. So he rejected Hippo’s request and told them to live on land.
Upon hearing this, great sorrow overtook the hippos, and they began to weep and wail, promising Engai that they would never harm a single fish and pleaded with him to let them stay in the water.
God finally gave in with the condition that hippos should prove to him every day that they didn’t eat fish. Hippos promised solemnly and with great joy rushed into the river, loudly grunting and snorting.
From that day, hippos open their mouth widely to show they are not eating fish and scatter their dung on the banks so Engai can see it doesn’t contain fish bones. To this day, you can hear them grunting and snorting with joy for being allowed to live in water!
So that’s why hippos don’t eat fish.
Fun folktales about animals and plants are popular across Africa and form a part of the oral tradition.