Tag: stories

Folklore: The Goats and The Tortoise

Two goats fought over a loaf of bread. The tortoise saw them and offers to resolve the issue. He tore the bread unevenly and because it’s uneven he takes a bite from one half. But the bread remained uneven. So he took another bite and continued until there was no more bread left. The goats… Continue reading Folklore: The Goats and The Tortoise

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Another Tale of The Wild Woods

When beautiful summer came… Upon the glades and vales of the wild woods The Mountain took her position and stood quietly by the forest side, Sniffing the sweet smell come from fresh growing flower shrubs Happy birds came flying home Followed by pretty insects and the boar herd The skies tinted with blue skirmish Sometimes… Continue reading Another Tale of The Wild Woods

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Story of Compassion: The Brick

Dear Friends here is a story about compassion, shared by a close friend on Whatsapp. A young and successful executive was travelling down a neighbourhood street, in his new Jaguar. Suddenly, a brick smashed into his side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the car back to the spot where the brick had… Continue reading Story of Compassion: The Brick

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Folklore: Tortoise and The Spirits 1

Growing up Growing up was fun. School holidays took me to the countryside, where I was acquainted with folklore life. I have done strange but funny things like wearing a girl’s skirt to play with other children (that’s a story for another day), returning to the stream to bury a dead crab I killed, attempted… Continue reading Folklore: Tortoise and The Spirits 1

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Keeping Valuable Relationships

Sometimes those who crown kings don’t look like kings and may never become kings but they can help one wear the crown. A short story There was a poor man who wrote a book at the age of 40 and decided to launch it on his birthday. He had no money to fund the launching… Continue reading Keeping Valuable Relationships

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Another Tale from the Wild Woods

There’s a land behind those ancient hills Hidden in the thick greened forest, One of mighty foliage, brushes & roots Dark green shrubs gather by the riverside Ripe fruits plunge into the quiet waters And fish schools scatter in excitement Brown and black crabs meet to get drunk Squirrels watch them, amused from treetops The… Continue reading Another Tale from the Wild Woods

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A Kind Story 2

I received this story from a friend and thought I should share with you. Folake, a primary school teacher, was transferred to a different school and immediately appointed as a class teacher of a class five class. On her first day in her class, she noticed that a boy named Kola was different from the… Continue reading A Kind Story 2

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Poetry from Skies

There was poetry before we learned to write Awesome rhythm rendered as a strong wind might lyrics penned down by clouds, as such And when singing, green vegetation bows There was poetry before we learned to hear Drums that tender soft beats, far but near Brief gaiety across the heavens Heard passion when it stills… Continue reading Poetry from Skies

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Another Tale of the WildWoods

There’s a land behind those hills Hidden in the forest, One mighty foliage; of brushes & roots At all times, Cloud is blue And King of the Forest Do fall in love with it When the Cloud blush It rains softly; mildly And little creatures Which live in the land Look up to the smiling… Continue reading Another Tale of the WildWoods

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Tale of The Musk Rat

Once upon a time In a land far, far away Where the forests were untamed And animals had clans and kingdoms There lived a young musk rat Who loved his mother so much And took good care of her He would go hunting for fruits And exotic vegetables from the forests And brought them home… Continue reading Tale of The Musk Rat

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Movie: The Ghost and the Darkness

As we observe our social distancing, I started seeing old favourite movies. I remember this historic film back in the days. Trust me, this is a thriller you will enjoy. Plot from Wikipedia. **** Plot: In 1898, Sir Robert Beaumont, the primary financier of a railroad project in Tsavo, Kenya, is furious because the project… Continue reading Movie: The Ghost and the Darkness

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Diary of a Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 7 (Crocodile at the Stream)

Papa said I had to be strong to attend the next Tales by Moonlight night. He also promised I could play and hunt with other children if I got well fast. So I took my medication and exercise seriously. The moonlight night tales come once in a fortnight, sometimes it may be delayed especially during… Continue reading Diary of a Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 7 (Crocodile at the Stream)

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African Folklore

Folklore are tales, legends, superstitions of a particular ethnic population. In Igbo culture and other African societies, story telling is unique, such that it is a passage to transmit the tradition of a place from one generation to another. These tales convey the history, ancient messages and old knowledge. They teach morals and virtues to… Continue reading African Folklore

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Diary of a Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 5 (Fata)

When I reached home that evening, it seemed like the whole world was turned upside down. I felt my head swell as the bee stings and sharp roots hurt my foot. By the side of my bamboo bed Nene and her dog sat, staring at me. She held my hand and squeezed softly. I saw… Continue reading Diary of a Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 5 (Fata)

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African morning

In the morning the mild golden sun rise above the huts and hills Painting the corn fields yellow and making the streams shimmer Upon flowing rivers it glitters, till the dead end below a tree root Big fishes stay ready to strafe up to pick insects off tree barks In the hamlets, dogs chased cats,… Continue reading African morning

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Tales of the Wildwood: The Beginning

Let me tell you about this poetale which was before “Summer returns” and journey of the Ice King who traveled away from his love, the Great Mountain. Winter brought her cold blanket and all living things knew not what to make of her appearance. *** Once upon a Time It was winter And a night… Continue reading Tales of the Wildwood: The Beginning

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Christmas Stories 1

There’s twinkling stars across the dark night, Tiny, shiny dots adorning the wide firmament Then sang the Whistling pines a song, so sweet That the Woodpecker with his beak started a beat And all became amazed, even the Nightingale family Now up the dark skies three bold stars shine gracefully The shepherd was about to… Continue reading Christmas Stories 1

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Self-Control: The Fox and the Crow

How is everybody today? What are you guys reading for the weekend? I’m compiling a new reading list, anyone willing to share or suggest a book? It’s almost bedtime here, but sleep can wait. I’m trying to study my guide to scholarship application. I have this bedtime tale to drop before I retire for the… Continue reading Self-Control: The Fox and the Crow

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The Goose that laid the Golden Egg

You may agree with me that evenings are best for story telling. In Africa, evenings are valuable family time. Dinner or sitouts allow time to reflect on the days work: achievements and disappointments, and to tell tales. Tales don’t just act as lullabies but convey moral virtues (and vices) as well. Now when a story… Continue reading The Goose that laid the Golden Egg

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The Shepherds Tale

Lonely stars filled the cloudy night Crickets quizzed behind the rocks But the lonely Shepherd stayed awake Watching the glittering from the star light Listening to the bleating of sheep, his lullabic songs Sniffing wet and mild airs that came from the lake He lays on his soft pillow of wool Wrapping his arms about… Continue reading The Shepherds Tale

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Gather now… Come closer
Warm your hands, sit near the fire
It is a cold evening, is it?
Now pay attention to this poetale
I hope it helps warm you up
And trust it prepares you for a fine sleep

 

Once upon a time
In a land far away
Across seven rivers
And seven hills
Lived a clan of animals
Then there was no strife
No envy, no rivalry
Between the clan of animals
For then the strife held not
Cause there was no king
No ruler, no master of any sort
But animals who lived freely
Tilled their land as they wished
When they wanted to and so on
Then some stronger animals
Felt they could bully others
So many animals started trespassing
Some took others lands
Some marched on others crops
And some hijacked others wives
So, Anarchy decided to spread
Her blanket of no good
Upon the animal clan
Until the Cricket suggested
That all head homes should meet
To resolve this…

So during the meeting
Everybody sat down quietly
And waited for someone to talk
Mumblings filled the arena
Guilt of crimes wont let anyone speak
The mosquitoes, carefree buzzed aloud
‘Wait!’ the Cricket yelled
‘I greet you all’ he began politely
‘The way to solve this menace
Is to appoint a King who will rule us
Someone who will bring justice
And fairness to both big and small’
‘Nice idea’, his relatives called after him
‘Now I am the brain of the meeting
I should be allowed to nominate
My humble self as the King of the clan!’
‘What? Why?’ an angry Elephant trumpeted
‘You little thing, so minute, so irrelevant!
How dare you even think of that
When someone like me is here?
I should be the King undisputed!’
‘You all must be joking!’ laughed the Giraffe
‘How can you become the King
When you are just round like football
And can’t even move a leg higher?
No no no, it just doesn’t fit you
Well, take a look at me and my length
I interact with the moon
And when angry I ate her half!
I should be the King instead!’
The whole clan went dead with silence
They thought the Elephant would retaliate
So they waited for the worst to happen
But nothing happened…
‘Let me be the King’ the ape called out
‘None of you is so capable of tree climbing
And infact I can swing and dance up the skies
You don’t know this feeling of tree dwelling
The skies are my playground… Can’t you see?’
‘Talking about playground, you are out of it!’
The Eagle whined…
‘I live in mountain peaks
Where none of you can reach
Or dare reach and I am the master
Master of the blue clouds and wind
Make me your king!’
‘Talking about flying you are not alone in it’
A mosquito stood to talk
‘How many of you can sing in a human ear
And make him slap himself madly?’
‘No way, who speaks now?’ the Lion growled
‘The kingship belongs to I and the pride
The pride is strong and courageous
And can defend and take care of the clan
My roars frighten our enemies
My claws are fine killing machines!’
‘No sir, was it not one of your pride members
That slaughtered an innocent sheep the other day?
We can’t let you be our King’
Someone yelled from the crowd
‘So what do we do right now?’
Let us then nominate from those
Who showed interest in the position’
An elderly Parrot suggested
‘Please everyone should point at their candidate’
To the crowds surprise
Everyone pointed to their kith
The Giraffes to the Giraffes
The Apes to their kind
The Pride to the Lions
And so on…

And when no head way was made
Everyone nominated himself for Kingship
Since everyone was to be the King
They all left fighting and arguing
And so is the animal clan
In much confusion till this very day!

Flirty
Breezy wind of the south
Woo my candle light
Which danced like a mad man
She paint the wall
With the silhoutte of the light
Drawing pictures of many objects
Showing a magnified view of shapes
Scary and gigantic. Titanic!
The curtains are thrown up
At each blast from the wind
And her underwears revealed
The wind surged forward
Re-echoing the song of the Pine
Driving hard upon the street poles
And pulling the rooftops viciously
Making crazy men of the beer inn yell

And just outside, by the window
Dogs raced home to their forts
Even the trees knew some danger
The wind danced about the street road
Riding on newspapers and cellophane,
On every stray thing upon the Earth
She roamed about the street
Like a little hurricane
Upon the quiet fields of farms
And no one dared stand before her!

The grip of the quiet night,
Clouds which won’t rain
The firmaments when darkened
And the appearance of the wind
Upon which asunder came with
The dirt that flew into eyes
The songs of the Whistling Pine
And the disturbed roof tops
All tell this tale tonight…

A tale I love to write about

It has been long I left my village
And they must have felt my absence
For the moon still shone always
But then no one to tell the childrens tales
I missed seeing the grey bearded moon
I missed the serenity of the countryside
I missed seeing the birds circle the sky
And the calls of the wild when all is quiet
I missed friendly and homely smiles
I missed the wisdom the old folk gave me
And I missed walking thru the fields
Lonely and hopeful of seeing a wild animal
I missed eating smoke fish and melon balls
I missed feeling powerful for slaying a snake
In the farm and for demolishing loaves of garri…
Hmmm I missed it, mostly missed the quietness
Of the hamlet when all left for work or the farm
***
Now I went back for some rest
An escape from the city’s noise
Oh, I so hate the hustle bustle…
***
Nothing much changed…
Save from new growing trees
And old stubs halfcut from the middle
As usual the airs were welcoming
The evenings like a sweet paradise
And the people nothing new…
Save from new born babies
Suckling away at their mothers breast
Yelling wildly at slightest provocation
The trees have no fresh fruit
I have learnt I came when the harvest
Is done- well, I missed home so much
***
”Pay attention to this little tale
Of a land far far away…
Where stays a lake, quiet and calm
And on it, lived a duck and her family
Three ducks names- Daak, Deek and Duuk
They so much enjoyed the cool lake
The serenity which was unrivalled
In the whole land…
***
‘Quack quack Daak’ she began
Turning to the nearest duck
‘You have been friends
With the old grey Turtle
You know the Lakes’ waters
More than your siblings
But I pray, tell me
How many times would
Something happen to you
And you would learn?’
‘Quack quack mother
Sure I would learn, but only
When it happen, and all times!’
The first duck answered
Mother Duck nodded thoughtfully
And turned to the next duck
‘Quack quack Duuk, come closer
You are not scared of the weeds
You even fought off the black Eels
But tell me, my little brave one
How many times will you learn?’
‘Quack quack mother
But I can only learn If it happened to me’
Mother Duck nodded thoughtfully
And she turned to the last
‘Quack quack Little Deek
You are scared of all ripples
And the neighborhood fishes
You have made only few friends
I wonder, but let me know
How many times will you learn?’
‘Quack quack mother
I won’t learn from any misdids
I shall learn from others mistakes
I shall watch the Eels movements
And all crafty ripples upon the lake
That are not made by my kind
And I shall always be careful
For to survival, one must be cautious’

Commentary:
Well said Little Deek Duck! I guess but I think she is the wisest duck I ever saw in my life!
Sometimes, it is better to follow events with wits… Not falling victim/prey to what comes our way. learning from peoples past mistakes and not trying to repeat those. Being friendly and brave might not be enough to cushion challenges/problems/issues we face… We need to be cautious.