The Hyena

The Hyena is a horror short story written by Robert E. Howard in 1928. Set around a remote settlement in Africa, it follows a skeptical outsider drawn into rumors of a creature that is part man, part beast.

When brutal deaths and torn tracks appear at the edge of the village, curiosity turns to dread. The investigation leads to suspicion colliding with occult folklore: a prowling hyena with a human cunning, a sorcerer whispered to slip between forms, and signs that reason alone may not be enough to survive the night.

Howard builds momentum through night watches, sudden chases, and a trap that springs in darkness. The final confrontation exposes a man-into-beast curse and brings a fierce, decisive end to the terror, leaving just enough uncertainty to keep the horror alive after the last page.

Lean and relentless, the tale blends pulp pacing with visceral dread. Readers should note that it also reflects colonial-era stereotypes common to its time, elements that can be troubling even as the story endures as a brisk, unsettling piece of weird fiction.

"From the time when I first saw Senecoza, the fetish-man, I distrusted him, and from vague distrust the idea eventually grew into hatred. I was but newly come to the East Coast, new to African ways, somewhat inclined to follow my impulses, and possessed of a large amount of curiosity."