In the old, old time long ago, a certain man named Nkhango went out looking for honey. When he came to the middle of the forest, he wandered around here and there and thus came to the dwelling of Nyamurairi, the high god of the Nyanga.He entered the hall and was met by the dog,Rukuba.  Old Nyamurairi himself was out behind the house.

    Nkhango sat awhile by the fire there and saw that it
was good. (In the village of Nkhango there was no such thing as fire.) So he made an offer to Rukuba.

    "My friend," he said, "my friend, you steal a little fire for me, and come with me, and I will take care of you forever after."

    "Friendship is fine," said the dog Rukuba, and he took a brand from the fire and gave it to the man.  "Go quick, now," he said, "before the lord of the fire returns."

    So Nkhanga hurried home to his village and brought the fire to the headman Iterere.  The headman watched the fire burn and noted that it spread out a good warmth to his body.  "Well, this is a very fine thing," he said.

    But back there in the house in the forest where the dog Rukuba was, old Nyamurairi had come in and said, "You, Rukuba! Where is all that fire?"

    "Oh, I fell asleep," said Rukuba.

    "You gave it away!" said the god, and he drove Rukuba out of the house in anger.  And to save himself from punishment, the dog ran through the forest till he came to the house of Nkhango.  The man was glad and welcomed the dog, and the dog ate.

    One day Nkhango said to his friend that he was going into the forest to seek honey, and Rukuba went along.  Suddenly they heard a wild boar ahead of them in the bush, and Rukuba went after it from behind.