AFRICAN FABLE
The Rescuer
A man went hunting with his dog, he walked far away from his village to where he knew the animals were. He managed to kill a deer and put it on his shoulder. Suddenly there was a thick black cloud signalling that heavy torrential rain was about to pour down. He realised he would not make it home without getting drenched. Far on his left, he saw a house with smoke coming out of the chimney. He ran quickly towards the house with his dog leading the way.
Suddenly he heard a loud thunderclap which sounded like the sky falling on the ground followed by heavy tropical rain. He run quickly to get to the house. Drenched, he knocked on the door, no one answered, panting he cautiously let himself in with his dog. ‘Hello, hello… anyone home?’ There was no answer. He called again, but in vain. He put the deer down on the floor and quickly, but cautiously walked around the house with hope and fear at the same time, but he could not see anyone in the house. He sat by the fire which was cracking and flaming as if it was prepared for him and his dog.
Drying out slowly, he fell asleep with exhaustion. Then suddenly he heard someone ordering: ‘Give your deer to your dog, you then eat the dog and then I will eat you!’. The hunter trembled, jumped off the chair and looked around the house, but could not see anyone. He searched every room with
fear but could not see who was talking. He slowly went back to his seat; and thought he must be dreaming. Within half an hour of sitting down, the same voice ordered again: ‘Didn’t you hear what I just asked you to do? ‘Give your deer to your dog, you then eat the dog and then I will eat you!’ The hunter jumped off the chair, looked around the house again, but could not see anyone. He remained standing, trembling, and anxious. The dog barked. As he quickly started getting ready to leave, the door slammed shut with no way to open it. Within another ten minutes the same voice ordered again: ‘Give your deer to your dog, you then eat the dog and then I will eat you!’ His dog barked again, again, ‘hou, hou…. ‘. The hunter realised that there was no way out of this situation. He took the deer, and just when he was about to cut a piece of the deer, he heard a much deeper, authoritarian voice commanding: ‘Give your deer to your dog, you then eat the dog and then I will eat you and I will eat too after you have eaten the man!’ There was a big silence, then the second deeper voice ordered again: ‘Give your deer to your dog, you then eat the dog and then I will eat you and I will eat too after you have eaten the man! Through the window, the man could see a giant lion running away from the house. He was again about to cut the deer into pieces, when he heard the gentle running steps of an animal in the hallway. He stood up, there was a cute little mouse which said: ‘hello, my friend, it is me who saved your life and your dog. From now on, every time you eat, ensure you leave something for me too.’ From then on, humans live with mice in their houses to
repay the debt.
fear but could not see who was talking. He slowly went back to his seat; and thought he must be dreaming. Within half an hour of sitting down, the same voice ordered again: ‘Didn’t you hear what I just asked you to do? ‘Give your deer to your dog, you then eat the dog and then I will eat you!’ The hunter jumped off the chair, looked around the house again, but could not see anyone. He remained standing, trembling, and anxious. The dog barked. As he quickly started getting ready to leave, the door slammed shut with no way to open it. Within another ten minutes the same voice ordered again: ‘Give your deer to your dog, you then eat the dog and then I will eat you!’ His dog barked again, again, ‘hou, hou…. ‘. The hunter realised that there was no way out of this situation. He took the deer, and just when he was about to cut a piece of the deer, he heard a much deeper, authoritarian voice commanding: ‘Give your deer to your dog, you then eat the dog and then I will eat you and I will eat too after you have eaten the man!’ There was a big silence, then the second deeper voice ordered again: ‘Give your deer to your dog, you then eat the dog and then I will eat you and I will eat too after you have eaten the man! Through the window, the man could see a giant lion running away from the house. He was again about to cut the deer into pieces, when he heard the gentle running steps of an animal in the hallway. He stood up, there was a cute little mouse which said: ‘hello, my friend, it is me who saved your life and your dog. From now on, every time you eat, ensure you leave something for me too.’ From then on, humans live with mice in their houses to
repay the debt.
By Chantal Kabamba