NAMED EARTHQUAKE

Hewasthesecondtomagnifyhimself,andnowweshallspeakwhatisspoken of another.

nd this is where we shall explai .boys, Hunahpu and Xbalanque.

And when SevenMacawdied,Hunahpugotbackhisarm.AndChi-malmat,the wifeofSeven Macaw,also died.

Hac: IS THE BEGINNING OF THE DEFEAT AND DESTRUCTION OF- THE DAY OF SEVEN Macaw by the two boys, the first named Hunahpuand the second named Xbalanque. Being gods, the two of them saw evilin his attempt at self-magnification before the Heart of Sky. So the boystalked:“It’s no good without life, without people here on the face of the earth.”“Well then, let’s try a shot. We could shoot him while he’s at his meal.We could make him ill, then put an end to his riches, his jade, his metal,his jewels, his gems, the source of his brilliance. Everyone might do ashe does, but it should not come to be that fiery splendor is merely amatter of metal. So be it,” said the boys, each one with a blowgun on hisshoulder, the two of them together.And this Seven Macaw has two sons: the first of these is Zipacna, andthe second is the Earthquake. And Chimalmat is the name of theirmother, the wife of Seven Macaw.And this is Zipacna, this is the one to build up the great mountains:Fireplace, Hunahpu, Cave by the Water, Xcanul, Macamob, Huliznab,as the names of the mountains that were there at the dawn are spoken.They were brought forth by Zipacna in a single night.And now this is the Earthquake. The mountains are moved by him;the mountains, small and great, are softened by him. The sons of SevenMacaw did this just as a means of self-magnification.“Here am I: I am the sun,” said Seven Macaw.“Here am I: I am the maker of the earth,” said Zipacna.

Theywerepoundeddowntothebonesandtendons,smashedandpulverizedeventothebones.Theirfacesweresmashedbecausethewereincompetentbeforetheirmotherandtheir father,theHeartofSky,namedHurricane. Theearthwasblackenedbecauseofthis;theblackrainstormbegan,rainalldayandrainallnight.Intotheirhousescametheanimals,smallandgreat.Theirfaceswerecrushedbythingsofwoodandstone.Everythingspoke:theirwaterjars,theirtortillagriddles,theirplates, theircookingpots,theirdogs,theirgrindingstones,each andeverythingcrushedtheirfaces.Theirdogsand turkeystoldthem:“You causeduspain,youateus,butnowitisyouwhomweshalleat.

Avcars THERE COMES A HUMILIATION, destruction, and demolition.The manikins, woodcarvings were killed when the Heart of Sky deviseda flood for them. A great flood was made; it came down on the heads ofikins, woodcarvings.he man's body was carved from the wood of the coral tree by theMaker, Modeler. And as for the woman, the Maker, Modeler needed thehearts of bulrushes for the woman’s body. They were not competent, nordid they speak before the builder and sculptor who made them andbrought them forth, and so they were killed, done in by a flood:There came a rain of resin from the sky.

They had no blood, no lymph. They hadnosweat, nofat.Theircomplexionsweredry,thelrfaceswerecrusty.Theyflailedtheirlegsandarms,theirbodiesweredeformed.AndsotheyaccomplishednothingbeforetheMaker,Modelerwhogavethembirth,gavethemheart.Theybecamethefirstnumerouspeople here on the face of the earth.

They cameintobeing, they multiplied, theyhad daughters,they hadsons,thesemanikins, woodcarvings.But there wasnothingintheirheartsandnothingintheirminds,nomemoryoftheirmasonandbuilder.Theyjustwent andwalked wherevertheywanted.Nowtheydid notremembertheHeartof Sky.

Midwife, matchmaker,our grandmother, our grandfather,Xpiyacoc, Xmucane,let there be planting, let there be the dawningof our invocation, our sustenance, our recognitionby the human work, the human design,the human figure, the human form.So be it, fulfill your names:Hunahpu Possum, Hunahpu Coyote,Bearer twice over, Begetter twice over,Great Peccary, Great Coati,lapidary, jeweler,sawyer, carpenter,plate shaper, bow] shaper,incense maker, master craftsman,Grandmother of Day, Grandmother of Light.

face was just twisted. It couldn’t look around. It talked at first, but_ senselessly. It was quickly dissolving in the water.“It won't last,” the mason and sculptor said then. “It seems to bedwindling away, so let it just dwindle. It can’t walk and it can’t multiply,so let it be merely a thought,” they said.So then they dismantled, again they brought down their work anddesign. Again they talked:“What is there for us to make that would turn out well, that wouldsucceed in keeping our days and praying to us?” they said. Then theyplanned again:“We'll just tell Xpiyacoc, Xmucane, Hunahpu Possum, Hunahpu Coy-ote, to try a counting of days, a counting of lots,” the mason and sculptorsaid to themselves. Then they invoked Xpiyacoc, Xmucane.

Indeed—theyhadbetterhaveguardians,”theothersreplied. Assoonastheythoughtitandsaidit,deer andbirdscameforth.Andthenthey gaveouthomestothedeerandbirds:“You,thedeer:sleepalongtherivers,inthecanyons.Behereinthemeadows,inthethickets,inthe forests,multiplyyourselves.Youwillstandand walkonallfours,”theyweretold.

THE HEART OF SKY, NAMED HURRICANE:

And then the earth arose because of them, it was simply their wordthat brought it forth. For the forming of the earth they said “Earth.”

But therewill be no high days and no bright praise for our work, our design, untilthe rise of the human work, the human design,” they said.

life was conceived:

And of course there is the sky, and there is also the Heart of Sky. Thisis the name of the god, as it is spoken.

SOVEREIGN PLUMED SERPENT: Here he isseated, holding a snake in his hand. On hisback he wears a quetzal bird, with its headbehind his, its wings at the level of hisshoulders, and its tail hanging down to theground. From the Dresden Codex.

Plumed Serpent

Whatever might be is simply not there: only murmurs, ripples, in thedark, in the night. Only the Maker, Modeler alone, Sovereign PlumedSerpent, the Bearers, Begetters are in the water, a glittering light. Theyare there, they are enclosed in quetzal feathers, in blue-green.

pooledwater, only the calm sea, only it alone is pooled.

hs IS THE ACCOUNT, here it is:Now it still ripples, now it still murmurs, ripples, it still sighs, stillhums, and it is empty under the sky.Here follow the first words, the first eloquence:There is not yet one person, one animal, bird, fish, crab, tree, rock,hollow, canyon, meadow, forest. Only the sky alone is there; the face ofthe earth is not clear. Only the sea alone is pooled under all the sky;there is nothing whatever gathered together. It is at rest; not a singlething stirs. It is held back, kept at rest under the sky.

in the sky, on the earth,the four sides, the four corners, as it is said,by the Maker, Modeler,mother-father of life, of humankind,giver of breath, giver of heart,bearer, upbringer in the light that lastsof those born in the light, begotten in the light;worrier, knower of everything, whatever there is:sky-earth, lake-sea.

hefourfoldsiding,fourfold cornering,measuring,fourfold staking,halvingthe cord, stretchingthecord63

longperfor-manceand accounttocompletethelightingofallthesky-earth:

a place to see it, a Council Book,a place to see “The Light That Came fromBeside the Sea,”the account of “Our Place in the Shadows.”a place to see “The Dawn of Life,

They accountedforeverything—anddidit,too—asenlightenedbeings,inenlightenedwords.WeshallwriteaboutthisnowamidthepreachingofGod,inChristendomnow.

the Maker, Modeler,named Bearer, Begetter,Hunahpu Possum, Hunahpu Coyote,Great White Peccary, Coati,Sovereign Plumed Serpent,Heart of the Lake, Heart of the Sea,plate shaper, bowl shaper, as they are called,also named, also described asthe midwife, matchmakernamed Xpiyacoc, Xmucane,defender, protector,twice a midwife, twice a matchmaker,

Andhereweshalltake upthedemonstration,revelation,andaccountofhowthingswereputinshadowandbroughttolightby

aISTHEBEGINNINGOFTHEANCIENT WORD,hereinthisplacecalledQuiché.

Until her death on January 26, 1928, Zitkála-Šá continued to work for improvements in education, health care, and legal recognition of Native Americans as well as the preservation of Native American culture. She died in Washington, DC. She is buried at Arlington National Cemetery with her husband. Sharing a headstone, she is memorialized as: “His Wife / Gertrude Simmons Bonnin / Zitkala-Ša of the Sioux Indians / 1876-1936.”[5]

While being sharply critical of assimilation, she was firm in her conviction that Indigenous people in America should be American citizens, and that as citizens, they should have the vote: “In the land that was once his own – America… there was never a time more opportune than now for American to enfranchise the Red man!”[3] As original occupants of the land, she argued, Native Americans needed to be represented in the current system of government.

Sun Dance was the first American Indian opera written. It is a symbol of how Zitkála-Šá lived in and bridged both her traditional Native American world and the world of white America that she was raised in.

Afterwards, Zitkála-Šá spent some time back at home on the reservation taking care of her mother and collecting stories for her book, Old Indian Legends. She also took work at the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) office at Standing Rock Indian Reservation as a clerk. She married Captain Raymond Talefase Bonnin in 1902. They were assigned to the Uintah-Ouray Reservation in Utah, where they lived and worked for the next fourteen years. While there, they had a son, Raymond Ohiya Bonnin.

In 1901, she wrote a piece for Harper’s that described the profound loss of identity felt by a student at the Carlisle Indian School. She was fired from Carlisle.

presented her people as generous and loving instead of the common racist stereotypes that portrayed Native Americans as ignorant savages.

Zitkála-Šá back to the Yankton Reservation to gather more students. She was shocked to find her family home in disrepair. Many people on the reservation lived in deep poverty, and white settlers were occupying land given to the Yankton Dakota people by the federal government.

Again, she chose not to return to the reservation. Instead, she moved to Boston, where she studied violin at the New England Conservatory of Music.[1]

At fifteen years old, she returned to the Institute to further her education. Her study of piano and violin led the Institute to hire her as a music teacher. She graduated in 1895. When she received her diploma, Zitkála-Šá gave a speech advocating for women’s rights.

She returned to live with her mother on the Yankton Reservation in 1887, but left only three years later. She felt that she did not fit in after her experiences at the Institute.

had to undergo ritual bloodletting and self-torture.

But the true nature of Maya society, the meaning of its hieroglyphics, and the chronicle of its history remained unknown to scholars for centuries after the Spaniards discovered the ancient Maya building sites.

He both copied the original K’iche’ text (now lost) and translated it into Spanish

They began to build ceremonial centers, and by 200 ce these had developed into cities containing temples, pyramids, palaces, courts for playing ball, and plazas.

They practiced agriculture, built great stone buildings and pyramid temples, worked gold and copper, and used a form of hieroglyphic writing that has now largely been deciphered.

features the Hero Twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, who were transformed into, respectively, the Sun and the Moon

In 2009 archaeologist Richard Hansen discovered two 8-metre- (26-foot-) long panels carved in stucco from the pre-Classic Mayan site of El Mirador, Guatemala, that depict aspects of the Popol Vuh. The panels—which date to about 300 bce, some 500 years before the Classic-period fluorescence of Mayan culture—attested to the antiquity of the Popol Vuh.

It chronicles the creation of humankind, the actions of the gods, the origin and history of the K’iche’ people, and the chronology of their kings down to 1550.

Popol Vuh, Maya document, an invaluable source of knowledge of ancient Mayan mythology and culture

sands dance forever

Ikemefuna had begun to feel like a member of Okonkwo's family. He still thoughtabout his mother and his three-year-old sister, and he had moments of sadness anddepression But he and Nwoye had become so deeply attached to each other that suchmoments became less frequent and less poignant. Ikemefuna had an endless stock of folktales.

Inwardly Okonkwo knew that the boys were still too young to understand fullythe difficult art of preparing seed-yams. But he thought that one could not begin tooearly. Yam stood for manliness, and he who could feed his family on yams from oneharvest to another was a very great man indeed. Okonkwo wanted his son to be a greatfarmer and a great man. He would stamp out the disquieting signs of laziness which hethought he already saw in him.

"Do you think you are cutting up yams for cooking?" he asked Nwoye. "If yousplit another yam of this size, I shall break your jaw. You think you are still a child. Ibegan to own a farm at your age. And you," he said to Ikemefuna, "do you not growyams where you come from?

"It has not always been so," he said. "My father told me that he had been told thatin the past a man who broke the peace was dragged on the ground through the village

And so people said he had no respect for the gods of the clan. Hisenemies said his good fortune had gone to his head. They called him the little bird nzawho so far forgot himself after a heavy meal that he challenged his chi.

"Takeaway your kola nut. I shall not eat in the house of a man who has no respect for our godsand ancestors."Okonkwo tried to explain to him what his wife had done, but Ezeani seemed topay no attention. He held a short staff in his hand which he brought down on the floor toemphasise his points

"Did she ask you to feed them before she went?""Yes," lied Nwoye's mother, trying to minimise Ojiugo's thoughtlessness.Okonkwo knew she was not speaking the truth. He walked back to his obi toawait Ojiugo's return. And when she returned he beat her very heavily. In his anger hehad forgotten that it was the Week of Peace. His first two wives ran out in great alarmpleading with him that it was the sacred week.But Okonkwo was not the man to stop beating somebody half-way through, noteven for fear of a goddess.Okonkwo's neighbours heard his wife crying and sent their voices over thecompound walls to ask what was the matter. Some of them came over to see forthemselves. It was unheard of to beat somebody during the sacred week

But therewas no doubt that he liked the boy. Sometimes when he went to big village meetings orcommunal ancestral feasts he allowed Ikemefuna to accompany him, like a son, carryinghis stool and his goatskin bag. And, indeed, Ikemefuna called him father

emotion of anger

Even Okonkwo himself became very fond of the boy - inwardly of course.

benevolent spirit should not forget to be humble

His father, Unoka, who was then an ailing man, had said to him during thatterrible harvest month: "Do not despair. I know you will not despair. You have a manlyand a proud heart. A proud heart can survive a general failure because such failure doesnot prick its pride. It is more difficult and more bitter when a man fails alone."Unoka was like that in his last days. His love of talk had grown with age andsickness. It tried Okonkwo's patience beyond words.

That year the harvest was sad, like a funeral, and many farmers wept as they dugup the miserable and rotting yams. One man tied his cloth to a tree branch and hangedhimself.

Some farmers had not planted their yams yet. They were the lazy easy-going oneswho always put off clearing their farms as long as they could. This year they were thewise ones. They sympathised with their neighbours with much shaking of the head, butinwardly they were happy for what they took to be their own foresight.Okonkwo planted what was left of his seed-yams when the rains finally returned.He had one consolation. The yams he had sown before the drought were his own, theharvest of the previous year. He still had the eight hundred from Nwakibie and the fourhundred from his father's friend. So he would make a fresh start

His mother and sisters worked hardenough, but they grew women's crops, like coco-yams, beans and cassava. Yam, the kingof crops, was a man's crop.

He hoped to get another four hundred yams from one of his father's friendsat Isiuzo.

would not refuse him

I shall give you twice four hundred yams. Go ahead and prepare your farm

The men then continued their drinking and talking. Ogbuefi Idigo was talkingabout the palm-wine tapper, Obiako, who suddenly gave up his trade."There must be something behind it," he said, wiping the foam of wine from hismoustache with the back of his left hand. "There must be a reason for it. A toad does notrun in the daytime for nothing.""Some people say the Oracle warned him that he would fall off a palm tree andkill himself," said Akukalia."Obiako has always been a strange one," said Nwakibie. "I have heard that manyyears ago, when his father had not been dead very long, he had gone to consult theOracle. The Oracle said to him, 'Your dead father wants you to sacrifice a goat to him.'Do you know what he told the Oracle? He said, 'Ask my dead father if he ever had a fowlwhen he was alive.' Everybody laughed heartily except Okonkwo, who laughed uneasilybecause, as the saying goes, an old woman is always uneasy when dry bones arementioned in a proverb

"Is Anasi not in?" he asked them. They said she was coming. Anasi was the firstwife and the others could not drink before her, and so they stood waiting.Anasi was a middle-aged woman, tall and strongly built. There was authority inher bearing and she looked every inch the ruler of the womenfolk in a large andprosperous family. She wore the anklet of her husband's titles, which the first wife alonecould wear.She walked up to her husband and accepted the horn from him. She then wentdown on one knee, drank a little and handed back the horn. She rose, called him by hisname and went back to her hut. The other wives drank in the same way, in their properorder, and went away

swelling in the stomach

Hold your peace!" screamed the priestess, her voice terrible as it echoed through thedark void. "You have offended neither the gods nor your fathers. And when a man is atpeace with his gods and his ancestors, his harvest will be good or bad according to thestrength of his arm. You, Unoka, are known in all the clan for the weakness of yourmachete and your hoe. When your neighbours go out with their axe to cut down virginforests, you sow your yams on exhausted farms that take no labour to clear. They crossseven rivers to make their farms,- you stay at home and offer sacrifices to a reluctant soil.Go home and work like a man."

His mother had wept bitterly, but he had been toosurprised to weep. And so the stranger had brought him, and a girl, a long, long way fromhome, through lonely forest paths. He did not know who the girl was, and he never sawher again

"Do what you are told, woman," Okonkwo thundered, and stammered. "When didyou become one of the ndichie of Umuofia?

Nwoye was developing into a sad-faced youth

to hate everything that his father Unoka hadloved.

agbala

t was deeper and more intimate than the fear ofevil and capricious gods and of magic, the fear of the forest, and of the forces of nature,malevolent, red in tooth and claw. Okonkwo's fear was greater than these. It was notexternal but lay deep within himself.

His wives, especially theyoungest, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper, and so did his little children

In the morning the market place was full. There must have been about tenthousand men there, all talking in low voices. At last Ogbuefi Ezeugo stood up in themidst of them and bellowed four times, "Umuofia kwenu," and on each occasion he faceda different direction and seemed to push the air with a clenched fist. And ten thousandmen answered "Yaa!" each time. Then there was perfect silence. Ogbuefi Ezeugo was apowerful orator and was always chosen to speak on such occasions. He moved his handover his white head and stroked his white beard. He then adjusted his cloth, which waspassed under his right arm-pit and tied above his left shoulder."Umuofia kwenu," he bellowed a fifth time, and the crowd yelled in answer. Andthen suddenly like one possessed he shot out his left hand and pointed in the direction ofMbaino, and said through gleaming white teeth firmly clenched: "Those sons of wildanimals have dared to murder a daughter of Umuofia." He threw his head down andgnashed his teeth, and allowed a murmur of suppressed anger to sweep the crowd. Whenhe began again, the anger on his face was gone, and in its place a sort of smile hovered,more terrible and more sinister than the anger. And in a clear unemotional voice he toldUmuofia how their daughter had gone to market at Mbaino and had been killed. Thatwoman, said Ezeugo, was the wife of Ogbuefi Udo, and he pointed to a man who sat nearhim with a bowed head. The crowd then shouted with anger and thirst for blood.Many others spoke, and at the end it was decided to follow the normal course ofaction. An ultimatum was immediately dispatched to Mbaino asking them to choosebetween war - on the one hand, and on the other the offer of a young man and a virgin ascompensation.Umuofia was feared by all its neighbours. It was powerful in war and in magic,and its priests and medicine men were feared in all the surrounding country. Its mostpotent war-medicine was as old as the clan itself. Nobody knew how old. But on onepoint there was general agreement--the active principle in that medicine had been an oldwoman with one leg. In fact, the medicine itself was called agadi-nwayi, or old woman. Ithad its shrine in the centre of Umuofia, in a cleared spot. And if anybody was sofoolhardy as to pass by the shrine after dusk he was sure to see the old woman hoppingabout.And so the neighbouring clans who naturally knew of these things fearedUmuofia, and would not go to war against it without first trying a peaceful settlement.And in fairness to Umuofia it should be recorded that it never went to war unless its casewas clear and just and was accepted as such by its Oracle - the Oracle of the Hills and theCaves. And there were indeed occasions when the Oracle had forbidden Umuofia to wage

The night was very quiet. It was always quiet except on moonlight nights.Darkness held a vague terror for these people, even the bravest among them. Childrenwere warned not to whistle at night for fear of evil spirits. Dangerous animals becameeven more sinister and uncanny in the dark. A snake was never called by its name atnight, because it would hear. It was called a string. And so on this particular night as thecrier's voice was gradually swallowed up in the distance, silence returned to the world, avibrant silence made more intense by the universal trill of a million million forest insects.

When Unoka died he had taken no title at all and he was heavily in debt. Anywonder then that his son Okonkwo was ashamed of him? Fortunately, among thesepeople a man was judged according to his worth and not according to the worth of hisfather. Okonkwo was clearly cut out for great things. He was still young but he had wonfame as the greatest wrestler in the nine villages. He was a wealthy farmer and had twobarns full of yams, and had just married his third wife. To crown it all he had taken twotitles and had shown incredible prowess in two inter-tribal wars. And so althoughOkonkwo was still young, he was already one of the greatest men of his time. Age wasrespected among his people, but achievement was revered. As the elders said, if a childwashed his hands he could eat with kings. Okonkwo had clearly washed his hands and sohe ate with kings and elders. And that was how he came to look after the doomed lad whowas sacrificed to the village of Umuofia by their neighbours to avoid war and bloodshed.The ill-fated lad was called Ikemefuna

"Look at that wall," he said, pointing at the far wall of his hut, which was rubbedwith red earth so that it shone. "Look at those lines of chalk," and Okoye saw groups ofshort perpendicular lines drawn in chalk. There were five groups, and the smallest grouphad ten lines. Unoka had a sense of the dramatic and so he allowed a pause, in which hetook a pinch of snuff and sneezed noisily, and then he continued: "Each group thererepresents a debt to someone, and each stroke is one hundred cowries. You see, I owethat man a thousand cowries. But he has not come to wake me up in the morning for it. Ishall pay you, but not today. Our elders say that the sun will shine on those who standbefore it shines on those who kneel under them. I shall pay my big debts first." And hetook another pinch of snuff, as if that was paying the big debts first. Okoye rolled hisgoatskin and departed

Unoka to return the two hundred cowries he had borrowed from him more than two yearsbefore. As soon as Unoka understood what his friend was driving at, he burst outlaughing.

Okoye was also a musician. He played on the ogene. But he was not a failure likeUnoka. He had a large barn full of yams and he had three wives. And now he was goingto take the Idemili title, the third highest in the land. It was a very expensive ceremonyand he was gathering all his resources together. That was in fact the reason why he hadcome to see Unoka

He was in fact a coward and could not bear the sight of blood. And so hechanged the subject and talked about music, and his face beamed

I have kola

That was years ago, when he was young. Unoka, the grown-up, was a failure. Hewas poor and his wife and children had barely enough to eat. People laughed at himbecause he was a loafer, and they swore never to lend him any more money because henever paid back. But Unoka was such a man that he always succeeded in borrowingmore, and piling up his debts.

Unoka's band and their dancing egwugwu to come and stay with them andteach them their tunes. They would go to such hosts for as long as three or four markets,making music and feasting. Unoka loved the good hire and the good fellowship, and heloved this season of the year, when the rains had stopped and the sun rose every morningwith dazzling beauty

He was very good on his flute,and his happiest moments were the two or three moons after the harvest when the villagemusicians brought down their instruments, hung above the fireplace. Unoka would playwith them, his face beaming with blessedness and peace.

He was tall but very thin and had a slight stoop. He wore a haggard and mournfullook

lazy and improvident and was quite incapable of thinking about tomorrow. If any moneycame his way, and it seldom did, he immediately bought gourds of palm-wine, calledround his neighbours and made merry. He always said that whenever he saw a deadman's mouth he saw the folly of not eating what one had in one's lifetime. Unoka was, ofcourse, a debtor, and he owed every neighbour some money, from a few cowries to quitesubstantial amounts.

When he walked, his heels hardly touched the ground and he seemed to walk on springs,as if he was going to pounce on somebody. And he did pounce on people quite often. Hehad a slight stammer and whenever he was angry and could not get his words out quicklyenough, he would use his fists. He had no patience with unsuccessful men. He had had nopatience

Every nerve andevery muscle stood out on their arms, on their backs and their thighs, and one almostheard them stretching to breaking point. In the end Okonkwo threw the Cat

Amalinzewas a wily craftsman, but Okonkwo was as slippery as a fish in water

As a young man of eighteen he had brought honour tohis village by throwing Amalinze the Cat. Amalinze was the great wrestler who for sevenyears was unbeaten, from Umuofia to Mbaino. He was called the Cat because his backwould never touch the earth. It was this man that Okonkwo threw in a fight which the oldmen agreed was one of the fiercest since the founder of their town engaged a spirit of thewild for seven days and seven nights.

In life there are some characters who are clever  and very cunning – they will always outwit you. Be  careful not to fall prey to them; neither should you  try to copy their ways because you may not have  the same wittiness or advantages as they do.

Immediately, Hare produced the herb and Jackal had no choice but to share the meal with Hare.

Without Jackal noticing, Hare secretly dug up the roots of the shrub and hid them away

“Say friend Hare, there is one important favor I need to ask of you.”“Yes, friend Jackal, let me know what it is I can do.”“Do you see this herb?” said Jackal“Yes, friend. It is the herb used to cure a tummy  ache.”“Well done friend,” said Jackal. “When we get to my in-law’s place, they will give us food. When I eat the food, I may suffer from a tummy ache.Friend, you will quickly run back to this exact place, to this shrub. Dig up the roots and bring them back to cure me.”

Meanwhile, Jackal, a friend to Baboon, received word on how Hare had tricked his friend and led him to his death. Jackal decided to avenge Baboon’s death

Hare apologized for his friend’s behavior, thanked his hosts and left.

while Baboon slept, Hare stealthily smeared him with the blood of the goat they had just eaten, which he had secretly brought with him to the room.

Hmm, about that … ! As soon as you left my tummy suddenly felt better and I could eat. Now I feel quite strong!”

Baboon panicked and quickly sprinted off to get the herb for Hare’s tummy. Meanwhile, Hare settled comfortably and devoured the whole feast all alone. When he had his fill, he called for the dishes to be removed. Soon, Baboon, huffing and puffing, tumbled into the room with the herb.“Here you are friend, I ran as fast as I could. I found the tree. I dug the roots and I brought  them to cure your aching tummy!”

As they took the first bite of the meal, Hare interrupted Baboon.“Friend, I think that problem is already starting. My tummy is rumbling and is starting to ache.  Do you remember the herb? Rush and get me some of it! Otherwise, I may not survive the night!”

“Well done friend!” said Hare. “When we get to my in-law’s place, they will give us food. When I eat the food, I may suffer from a tummy ache. Friend, you will quickly run back to this exact place, to this shrub. Dig up the roots and bring them back to cure me.”

As was customary, he needed someone to accompany him on this important occasion.  So, he asked his long-time friend and happy-go-lucky fellow Baboon. He readily agreed.

Once upon a time, Hare, tired of living alone, decided it was time to find himself a  companion. He decided to make the journey to the neighboring village to meet his future in-laws.

The people to be afraid of were those who, when injured, kept silent: you could be certain they were plotting mischief and would do harm at night.

His friend said that, because the fowls had made much fuss, it was safe to kill and eat their chicks.

They all made a lot of noise and mother hen tried to chase me but, although there was a lot of disturbance amongst the fowls, nothing else happened

The king then told the hawk that in the future he could always feed on chicks.

When the hawk saw the chicks, he made up his mind that he would take one, so he swooped down and caught the s smallest with his strong claws . As soon as he seized the chick, the cocks began to make a lot of noise. The hen ran after him and tried to make him drop her child, calling loudly, with her feathers fluffed out and making dashes at him.

he saw a lot of fowls near a coop basking in the sun and scratching in the dust.

He then flew around, trying to find some other birds to prey upon but, because all the birds had heard that the hawk had seized the owlet, they hid themselves and would not come out when the hawk was near. He therefore could not catch any birds.

The hawk’s parents advised him to return the young owlet because one could not tell what was in the mind of a quiet or undemonstrative person: they could be plotting some acts of deep and cruel revenge in their minds

hawk that carried a young owlet away whilst the parents watched quietly

It is not good to be a friend with a person that tells lies.

because Kings don't back down on their words, the dog has had to keep barking till today.

He ordered that the tortoise be punished while the dog should be released;

tortoise joked about his wisdom, and revealed what he did to gain the dog's farm.

Meanwhile the tortoise took over the dog's farm.

otherwise, he would be executed.

On the day of the trial, the dog was asked why he stole the yam that he and his family was caught eating. Instead of giving the answer, the dog kept barking.

the dog had to bark at every question; if he did so, he would be released. So the dog agreed.

and lied to him that he had pleaded with the King to release him.

The dog was immediately arrested and the day for hearing and judgment fixed.

he saw the dog stealing from the King's in law's farm.

his farm's yam.

Later he went into the King's in-law’s farm and stole the big tubers of yam there.

When the harvest finally came, everyone harvested their yams, but the tortoise harvested nothing.

handsomely rewarded by the King.

he would tell them he had bigger farms in the other town.

the tortoise would go around bragging that his harvest would be bigger than that of anyone at the next harvest festival.

The dog was very hard

The dog and the tortoise were once good friends. Both of them had farms.

land form and climate within that region of Africa

The animals and birds are often accorded human attributes, so it is not uncommon to find animals talking, singing, or demonstrating other human characteristics such as greed, jealousy, honesty, etc

prepare young people for life, and so each story taught a lesson or moral

For several generations, stories from Africa have traditionally been passed down by word of mouth. Often, after a hard day’s work, the adults would gather the children together by moonlight, around a village fire and tell stories