Why the pig snouts around
A long time ago the Tortoise and the Pig were great friends. The Pig was a very hard working farmer while tortoise was a very lazy man who spends his day sleeping and eating. He always says that the sun is too hot and it might damage his skin.
All the other animals tried to warn the Pig that his alliance with the tortoise will lead to disaster. The Pig usually laughs at this and said that people do not understand his friend tortoise. He would then praise tortoise and explain that tortoise is a good friend who hard times befell. Whenever pig meets tortoise he also reports what the other animals thought of the tortoise, then tortoise will tell him not to be worried that people were envious of their friendship.
At harvest time, all the other animals harvested their crops and stored it in their barns. The pig’s barns were the biggest because he was the hardest working farmer in the village. But his friend’s tortoise barn was as empty as a harmattan air, the pig offered to share his crops with tortoise but tortoise pretended as if he does not want them. So whenever he knows that pig’s wife was cooking, he and his family will come visiting. The tortoise and his family will talk with the pig without helping to prepare the meal and when the food is ready they would eat twice as much as the pig’s family. This went on and on.
Now the tortoise family are tired of this routine so they start pestering tortoise to provide for them, tortoise thought hard and hard and then an ideal occurred to him. One day the tortoise pretended to be ill. He went to the pig and told him that he needs some money to get medical attention. The pig, which did not have any money on him, sold his harvest and lent tortoise the proceeds. The tortoise took the money and spent it lavishly.
Some weeks later when it became evident that the tortoise was not really sick but just pretending the pig asked him for his money. The tortoise told him that he is arranging repayments. This went on and on.
Then one day, the tortoise saw the pig coming. He quickly turned over and told his wife to use his chest as a grounding mill. When the pig arrived he asked Mrs. Tortoise where her husband was Mrs. Tortoise told him that he went out to collect some money from his debtors.
Hearing this a furious pig grabbed the grounding mill Mrs. Tortoise was working on and flung it over the yard. Mrs. Tortoise then started crying that she had lost the expensive grounding stone her grandfather willed her.
The tortoise landed with a thump! in the bush. The he rose and went back home. The pig and sighting the tortoise asked him for his money. Mrs Tortoise then told her husband that his friend had thrown away the generational grounding stone.
“What!” asked the tortoise “the generational grounding stone?” He then told pig that he had his money with him showing him a bag which he had filled with stones but he will give him on one condition. The condition was if he returned the grounding mill.
Pig went angrily in search of the grounding stone and since then he had been searching for it. Of course, he won’t find it.
Showing posts with label folktale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label folktale. Show all posts
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Why dogs lives at home
Once upon a time all animals lived in the forest. One day the animals sent a delegation to the lion king of the forest about how unhappy they were. They accused humans of killing their family members and relatives in discriminately.
They lion after listening to the animals grievances called an assembly to debate the solution to the problem. Each animal gave a suggestion.
Later, the animals decided that on the next market day, all hunters would go to the market with their family. Since they won’t take their guns with them, the animals will go to their homes and take their guns which they would dump into the river.
Now, the dog was a very good friend of a hunter the hunter had been good to the dog whenever he came to the forest. So the dog quietly went to the hunter and told him all that the animas had decided. He also told the hunter to take along his gun to the market on the next market day.
After the dog left, the hunter went to the village chief and narrated the dog’s story to him. The chief assembled his people and instructed them to take their guns with them when they go to the market –place. He also arranged for some vigilante groups to patrol the town.
On the next market day, all the hunters did as their chief told them. Likewise when the animals arrived in the town they found that there are some people keeping watch over the town although they succeeded in gaining entrance into the houses they were surprised not to find any gun.
They went back to the forests sadly. The animals agreed among themselves that an animal betrayed them to the hunters. And they decided to consult the oracle, so they can discover who did the terrible job.
The oracle pointed out dog as the betrayer. The general consensus was that dog should be killed but he ran away before they could lay hands on him.
That’s why the dogs live with man still this day
Once upon a time all animals lived in the forest. One day the animals sent a delegation to the lion king of the forest about how unhappy they were. They accused humans of killing their family members and relatives in discriminately.
They lion after listening to the animals grievances called an assembly to debate the solution to the problem. Each animal gave a suggestion.
Later, the animals decided that on the next market day, all hunters would go to the market with their family. Since they won’t take their guns with them, the animals will go to their homes and take their guns which they would dump into the river.
Now, the dog was a very good friend of a hunter the hunter had been good to the dog whenever he came to the forest. So the dog quietly went to the hunter and told him all that the animas had decided. He also told the hunter to take along his gun to the market on the next market day.
After the dog left, the hunter went to the village chief and narrated the dog’s story to him. The chief assembled his people and instructed them to take their guns with them when they go to the market –place. He also arranged for some vigilante groups to patrol the town.
On the next market day, all the hunters did as their chief told them. Likewise when the animals arrived in the town they found that there are some people keeping watch over the town although they succeeded in gaining entrance into the houses they were surprised not to find any gun.
They went back to the forests sadly. The animals agreed among themselves that an animal betrayed them to the hunters. And they decided to consult the oracle, so they can discover who did the terrible job.
The oracle pointed out dog as the betrayer. The general consensus was that dog should be killed but he ran away before they could lay hands on him.
That’s why the dogs live with man still this day
The magic stick
The magic stick
Once upon a time a man had two wives. Each wife had one child. The man loved his second wife and her child very much. He gave them many good things. He did not love his firs wife and her child. He did not give them any food.
One day an old fairy gave the older wife a stick. She told her to lock herself in and speak to the stick. The stick would give her all the good things she wanted. The first wife did as she was told. The stick gave her a great deal of food, some clothes and plenty of money. The first wife showed their gifts to the second wife and told her about her stick. He rich wife decided to steal the stick.
One day the rich wife managed to take the stick home. She called her child to her and they locked themselves in. she then ordered the stick to give them many good things. But the stick gave her a terrible trashing. The first wife came and spoke to her stick and the beating stopped. The man now soon loved his first wife and her child.
Once upon a time a man had two wives. Each wife had one child. The man loved his second wife and her child very much. He gave them many good things. He did not love his firs wife and her child. He did not give them any food.
One day an old fairy gave the older wife a stick. She told her to lock herself in and speak to the stick. The stick would give her all the good things she wanted. The first wife did as she was told. The stick gave her a great deal of food, some clothes and plenty of money. The first wife showed their gifts to the second wife and told her about her stick. He rich wife decided to steal the stick.
One day the rich wife managed to take the stick home. She called her child to her and they locked themselves in. she then ordered the stick to give them many good things. But the stick gave her a terrible trashing. The first wife came and spoke to her stick and the beating stopped. The man now soon loved his first wife and her child.
The farmer, his son and the donkey
While a farmer and his son were going on a journey taking their donkey along, they passed a group of boys playing games. The boys laughed at the man and boy because they were walking. “You fools,” one said. “Why don’t you ride that donkey?”
The farmer did not like people laughing at him. He quickly put his son on the donkey and hurried through the village. As they passed a town some elderly men saw the boy on the donkey and said. “There, look at that! The boy sits and rests while the old man walks. There is no respect for the old! You mean child, get down off that donkey and let your father ride.”
The son did not want the people to think he was disrespectful so he jumped down and helped his father up onto the donkey’s back. The three walked on. A short while later, they passed a group of women and children working in the fields. The women were angry to see the man sitting comfortably and his son walking in the heat and dust. They shouted at the farmer, “There, that’s a man for you. He sits there like a chief while his own son suffers.”
As soon as he heard the women, the farmer pulled the boy up to sit in front of him on the donkey. They continued like this until they arrived at the market town. Everyone looked at they passed. The farmer stopped the donkey and asked a woman why everyone was staring. The woman answered, “Well, we’re surprised by the way you treat your donkey. You’re going to break its back! Then you won’t be able to continue your journey.”
So father and son climbed down. They thought and thought about what they could down. At last they realised that there is nothing you can do to satisfy the world. You can only try your efforts. With that in mind they continued their journey periodically changing who is carried by the donkey and letting it rest at times.The farmer, his son and the donkey
While a farmer and his son were going on a journey taking their donkey along, they passed a group of boys playing games. The boys laughed at the man and boy because they were walking. “You fools,” one said. “Why don’t you ride that donkey?”
The farmer did not like people laughing at him. He quickly put his son on the donkey and hurried through the village. As they passed a town some elderly men saw the boy on the donkey and said. “There, look at that! The boy sits and rests while the old man walks. There is no respect for the old! You mean child, get down off that donkey and let your father ride.”
The son did not want the people to think he was disrespectful so he jumped down and helped his father up onto the donkey’s back. The three walked on. A short while later, they passed a group of women and children working in the fields. The women were angry to see the man sitting comfortably and his son walking in the heat and dust. They shouted at the farmer, “There, that’s a man for you. He sits there like a chief while his own son suffers.”
As soon as he heard the women, the farmer pulled the boy up to sit in front of him on the donkey. They continued like this until they arrived at the market town. Everyone looked at they passed. The farmer stopped the donkey and asked a woman why everyone was staring. The woman answered, “Well, we’re surprised by the way you treat your donkey. You’re going to break its back! Then you won’t be able to continue your journey.”
So father and son climbed down. They thought and thought about what they could down. At last they realised that there is nothing you can do to satisfy the world. You can only try your efforts. With that in mind they continued their journey periodically changing who is carried by the donkey and letting it rest at times.
While a farmer and his son were going on a journey taking their donkey along, they passed a group of boys playing games. The boys laughed at the man and boy because they were walking. “You fools,” one said. “Why don’t you ride that donkey?”
The farmer did not like people laughing at him. He quickly put his son on the donkey and hurried through the village. As they passed a town some elderly men saw the boy on the donkey and said. “There, look at that! The boy sits and rests while the old man walks. There is no respect for the old! You mean child, get down off that donkey and let your father ride.”
The son did not want the people to think he was disrespectful so he jumped down and helped his father up onto the donkey’s back. The three walked on. A short while later, they passed a group of women and children working in the fields. The women were angry to see the man sitting comfortably and his son walking in the heat and dust. They shouted at the farmer, “There, that’s a man for you. He sits there like a chief while his own son suffers.”
As soon as he heard the women, the farmer pulled the boy up to sit in front of him on the donkey. They continued like this until they arrived at the market town. Everyone looked at they passed. The farmer stopped the donkey and asked a woman why everyone was staring. The woman answered, “Well, we’re surprised by the way you treat your donkey. You’re going to break its back! Then you won’t be able to continue your journey.”
So father and son climbed down. They thought and thought about what they could down. At last they realised that there is nothing you can do to satisfy the world. You can only try your efforts. With that in mind they continued their journey periodically changing who is carried by the donkey and letting it rest at times.The farmer, his son and the donkey
While a farmer and his son were going on a journey taking their donkey along, they passed a group of boys playing games. The boys laughed at the man and boy because they were walking. “You fools,” one said. “Why don’t you ride that donkey?”
The farmer did not like people laughing at him. He quickly put his son on the donkey and hurried through the village. As they passed a town some elderly men saw the boy on the donkey and said. “There, look at that! The boy sits and rests while the old man walks. There is no respect for the old! You mean child, get down off that donkey and let your father ride.”
The son did not want the people to think he was disrespectful so he jumped down and helped his father up onto the donkey’s back. The three walked on. A short while later, they passed a group of women and children working in the fields. The women were angry to see the man sitting comfortably and his son walking in the heat and dust. They shouted at the farmer, “There, that’s a man for you. He sits there like a chief while his own son suffers.”
As soon as he heard the women, the farmer pulled the boy up to sit in front of him on the donkey. They continued like this until they arrived at the market town. Everyone looked at they passed. The farmer stopped the donkey and asked a woman why everyone was staring. The woman answered, “Well, we’re surprised by the way you treat your donkey. You’re going to break its back! Then you won’t be able to continue your journey.”
So father and son climbed down. They thought and thought about what they could down. At last they realised that there is nothing you can do to satisfy the world. You can only try your efforts. With that in mind they continued their journey periodically changing who is carried by the donkey and letting it rest at times.
Why the tortoise has a rough shell
Once upon a time, all the birds were invited to a feast in the sky. They were very happy and bean to prepare themselves for the great day. They painted their bodies and drew beautiful patterns on them.
Tortoise saw all these preparations and soon discovered what they all meant. Nothing that happened in the world of animals ever escaped his notice; he was full of cunning. As soon as he heard of the great feast in the sky, his throat began to itch at the very thought. There was famine in those days and tortoise had not eaten a good meal for two weeks. His body rattled like a piece of dry stick in his shell.
Tortoise began to plan how he could go to the feast in the sky. He had no wings but he went to the birds and asked o be allowed to go with them.
“We know you too well,” said the birds after listening to him. “You are full of cunning and you are ungrateful. If we allow you to come with us, you will soon be up to mischief.”
“You do not know me,” said tortoise. “I am different from what I was having learnt that anyone who makes trouble for others is also making it for himself.”
Tortoise had a sweet tongue, and within a short time all the birds agreed that he had changed indeed. They then each gave him a feather, and with the feathers he made two wings.
At last, the great day arrived. Tortoise was the first to arrive at the meeting-place. When all the bird had gathered, they set off together. Tortoise was happy and talkative as he flew among the birds. He was chosen as the spokesman for the group because he was a great orator.
“There is one important thing which we must not forget,” he said s they flew on their way. “When people are invited to a great feast like this, they take new names for the occasion. Our hosts in the sky will expect us o honour this age-old custom.”
None of the birds had heard of this custom but they all knew that tortoise was widely travelled and thought he should know the customs of different peoples. So hey each took a new name. Tortoise chose to be called all of you.
Soon the party arrived in the sky. Their hosts were very happy to see them and made them welcome. Tortoise stood up in his many- coloured plumage and thanked them for the invitation. His speech was so eloquent that the birds wee glad they had brought him and nodded their heads in approval of what he said. The hosts took him to be the king of the birds, especially as he looked somewhat different from the others.
The people of the sky set before their gests the most delicious dishes tortoise had ever seen. The soup was hot and full of meat and fish. There was pounded yam and yam pottage cooked with palm oil and fresh fish. There were also pots of palm wine. Tortoise just as he had planned, turned to one of his hosts and asked: “for who have you prepared this feast?”
“For all of you,” replied the man surprised.
Tortoise then turned to the birds, “do you remember that my name is all of you? The custom here is to serve the spokesman first.” With that he set to the food and ate with gusto, the birds watched angrily. The people of the sky thought it must be the bird’s custom to let their king have his fill first.
Tortoise ate and drinks until he was full and his body swelled in his shell.
The birds decided to punish tortoise. When it was time to leave, they each took back the feather they had given him. So he was left to stand in his hard sell, full of food and wine, without wings to fly home.
Tortoise asked the birds to take a message to his wife but they all refused. In the end, however, Eagle, who had felt angrier than the others, suddenly changed his mind and agreed to take the message.
“Tell my wife,” said Tortoise, “to bring out all the soft things in my house and cover the compound so that I can jump down from the sky without hurting myself.”
Eagle promised to deliver the message but when he reached tortoise’s house, he told his wife to bring out all the hard things in the house. And she brought out her husband’s hoes, machetes, spears, guns and even cannon. Tortoise looked down from the sky and saw his wife bringing things out, but it was too far away to see what they were. When all seemed ready he made his jump. Own, down and down, he fell. Then like the sound of a bomb exploding he crashed to the compound. Tortoise survived the fall but his shell was smashed into pieces. Only with the help of a great medicine man, Mrs Snail, was he able to have it patched up.
That is why the tortoise’s shell is rough.
Once upon a time, all the birds were invited to a feast in the sky. They were very happy and bean to prepare themselves for the great day. They painted their bodies and drew beautiful patterns on them.
Tortoise saw all these preparations and soon discovered what they all meant. Nothing that happened in the world of animals ever escaped his notice; he was full of cunning. As soon as he heard of the great feast in the sky, his throat began to itch at the very thought. There was famine in those days and tortoise had not eaten a good meal for two weeks. His body rattled like a piece of dry stick in his shell.
Tortoise began to plan how he could go to the feast in the sky. He had no wings but he went to the birds and asked o be allowed to go with them.
“We know you too well,” said the birds after listening to him. “You are full of cunning and you are ungrateful. If we allow you to come with us, you will soon be up to mischief.”
“You do not know me,” said tortoise. “I am different from what I was having learnt that anyone who makes trouble for others is also making it for himself.”
Tortoise had a sweet tongue, and within a short time all the birds agreed that he had changed indeed. They then each gave him a feather, and with the feathers he made two wings.
At last, the great day arrived. Tortoise was the first to arrive at the meeting-place. When all the bird had gathered, they set off together. Tortoise was happy and talkative as he flew among the birds. He was chosen as the spokesman for the group because he was a great orator.
“There is one important thing which we must not forget,” he said s they flew on their way. “When people are invited to a great feast like this, they take new names for the occasion. Our hosts in the sky will expect us o honour this age-old custom.”
None of the birds had heard of this custom but they all knew that tortoise was widely travelled and thought he should know the customs of different peoples. So hey each took a new name. Tortoise chose to be called all of you.
Soon the party arrived in the sky. Their hosts were very happy to see them and made them welcome. Tortoise stood up in his many- coloured plumage and thanked them for the invitation. His speech was so eloquent that the birds wee glad they had brought him and nodded their heads in approval of what he said. The hosts took him to be the king of the birds, especially as he looked somewhat different from the others.
The people of the sky set before their gests the most delicious dishes tortoise had ever seen. The soup was hot and full of meat and fish. There was pounded yam and yam pottage cooked with palm oil and fresh fish. There were also pots of palm wine. Tortoise just as he had planned, turned to one of his hosts and asked: “for who have you prepared this feast?”
“For all of you,” replied the man surprised.
Tortoise then turned to the birds, “do you remember that my name is all of you? The custom here is to serve the spokesman first.” With that he set to the food and ate with gusto, the birds watched angrily. The people of the sky thought it must be the bird’s custom to let their king have his fill first.
Tortoise ate and drinks until he was full and his body swelled in his shell.
The birds decided to punish tortoise. When it was time to leave, they each took back the feather they had given him. So he was left to stand in his hard sell, full of food and wine, without wings to fly home.
Tortoise asked the birds to take a message to his wife but they all refused. In the end, however, Eagle, who had felt angrier than the others, suddenly changed his mind and agreed to take the message.
“Tell my wife,” said Tortoise, “to bring out all the soft things in my house and cover the compound so that I can jump down from the sky without hurting myself.”
Eagle promised to deliver the message but when he reached tortoise’s house, he told his wife to bring out all the hard things in the house. And she brought out her husband’s hoes, machetes, spears, guns and even cannon. Tortoise looked down from the sky and saw his wife bringing things out, but it was too far away to see what they were. When all seemed ready he made his jump. Own, down and down, he fell. Then like the sound of a bomb exploding he crashed to the compound. Tortoise survived the fall but his shell was smashed into pieces. Only with the help of a great medicine man, Mrs Snail, was he able to have it patched up.
That is why the tortoise’s shell is rough.
Welcome
This site can be more aptly named tales by moonlight (but the blog is unavailable). This would capture the untold millennia of time which the solitary moon have spent travelling the lush balmy plains of Africa.
It would also bring to mind the thousand years old tradition of sitting under the full moon listening to humorous folktales passed by mouth from grandfathers to grandchildren.
This tradition is changing though: the increasing the increasing alienation from the great old orators and the emergence of modern conveniences are threatening to kill the age old tradition.
I have greatly enjoyed sitting at the foot of grandpa listening to the humorous, witty tales of tortoise exploits while enjoying the bond. I feel I should publish these stories so others can enjoy it.
Feel free to browse through these stories. Read them and if you enjoy them as I did and still do: encourage others to read too. Each story has a scheme behind it which hides the morals it teaches. Can you find them?
It would also bring to mind the thousand years old tradition of sitting under the full moon listening to humorous folktales passed by mouth from grandfathers to grandchildren.
This tradition is changing though: the increasing the increasing alienation from the great old orators and the emergence of modern conveniences are threatening to kill the age old tradition.
I have greatly enjoyed sitting at the foot of grandpa listening to the humorous, witty tales of tortoise exploits while enjoying the bond. I feel I should publish these stories so others can enjoy it.
Feel free to browse through these stories. Read them and if you enjoy them as I did and still do: encourage others to read too. Each story has a scheme behind it which hides the morals it teaches. Can you find them?
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