The Cheetah is a beautiful animal: agile, swift and graceful. A mother and her cubs are always a sight to behold, and the ancestral Mother Cheetah was no different. She cared for her three cubs dearly, teaching them everything they needed to know, nursing them and loving them as a mother should.

One day, after she had been out hunting for food for her family, Cheetah returned to find a Jackal at her den - scratching and digging into her home. In fear for the safety of her cubs, she attacked the Jackal in a feral rage, and quickly slaughtered him where he stood.
With the danger gone, she called for her cubs. They did not answer. She looked for her cubs. But did not find them.
Tears formed, and she began to cry. She searched desperately in and around her den,
Calling and crying.
Calling and crying.
As night fell, Cheetah began to loose hope. Perhaps the jackal was only scavenging for the remains of what another predator had already killed. A lion could have easily taken all of her cubs, and there were many predators that would have tried the same.
As she lay down, Cheetah gave one last mournful, despairing call.

To her amazement, she heard something from the darkness: three tiny calls replied and her young cubs ran to her side. Mother Cheetah, overjoyed to see her cubs had escaped, cried more and more tears. But this time they were of joy and relief.
Now Cheetah was forever marked - her tears had stained her fur, leaving black stripes down her face.

It is believed that a leopard once infiltrated the Zulu village of Khanka¹ Shaka, a man said to be the nephew of Shaka Zulu (possibly the most famous of the Zulu Kings). The leopard was a Warrior King, and was furious at Khanka for failing to protect his people from the British. As punishment he first clawed Zhanka's tongue out, and then devoured him.
Before the leopard could leave, Khanka's daughter, Nalleti, arrived at her father's hut. Seeing the blood coating the walls, it was clear what had just occurred - immediately she feared the animal would devour her as well. However, the wise old Leopard had other intentions. He took the form of a human, and explained her father's sins to her, and why he had received such harsh punishment. He also told her that she would help lead their people into a new age. And to prove it he took her to bed...
Nalleti became pregnant (without marriage), and gave birth to Ingwe² Shaka. Ingwe's great uncle, Shaka Zulu, blessed him at birth. As he grew, it became clear that Ingwe was much more than a normal man. It is said that while he looked like a human, he would sneak into enemy camps with such feline stealth, and fight with such an incredible ferocity, that he was as much like a real leopard as he was like a man. Some said that he had a tail, but even the very existence of Ingwe is difficult to confirm.
All tales tell that he was a fierce warrior, and any British or Boer's worst nightmare.

A girl from a local tribe was out gathering herbs for the witchdoctor, when she came across a lion stuck in a "whiteman's trap". She looked at the beast and noticed it's leg was bleeding badly and it was clear that the animal would not last long. Being kind hearted, she decided to put him out of his misery. Finding the nearest large rock she could lift, she prepared to drop it on the head of exhausted and dying lion. However, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. As she gazed into its eyes she threw the rock away and cried, feeling horrible for not being able to end the lion's suffering. There was one other thing she could do, but it was extremely risky. She decided that she must free the beast.
Slowly she approached him. Once she was near enough, she cautiously extended her hands to the trap. All the time she gazed at the lion, waiting for any twitch that could warn her of attack from the lion. But he only stared back at the young girl. She tried prying the mouth of the trap open. A pained groan came from the lion, but he did not snap or nip at her. She gave it all her might, before finally the lion could remove it's bloodied paw.
As she knelt there, she looked up at the animal, knowing he could easily kill her right there. But the lion lay still. Slowly, she took two leaves and some healing herbs from her sack, and applied it to his wound. She stood and backed away, keeping her eyes on him. The lion returned her gaze, and only after a little while did he turn away to lick his wounds.
The girl had done all that she could, so she left the lion and continued home.

Weeks later, the girl was out gathering herbs once more, but this time a fellow gatherer was with her. As they walked along, a lion stepped straight out from behind the bush. The girl's friend was totally startled and started crying in fear. The girl, however, saw the beast's paw, and realised it was the lion she rescued. He did not attack either of them, and even allow his savior to pet him. From that day, he followed her wherever he could. No villager dared question the girl, or the might of her "brother".

There was once a witchdoctor who was part lioness. Some say that she had a lion's tail and ears. She spent her days caring for the children of the tribe, and fiercely attacked any outsider who went too close to the children. The witchdoctor prayed to Mkulu "The Great One" to bless the women of the tribe with strength and fertility, and was revered by everyone for the great protection and care that she gave.
She had four daughters in her life, who continued to follow their mother's guidance and practice all that she had taught them. Those daughters too had daughters of their own, and the great skills and knowledge of the first mother were passed down from generation to generation.