Promises, Promises, Broken Promises African Folktale
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| Gazelle punishes Rat for breaking his promise. |
True African Folklore Short Story
Promises that are a promise broken, gazelle punishes rat for breaking his promise.
As
the ancestors say, one day a Gazelle, being very hungry, went in search of
food, and saw a fine bunch of palm-nuts hanging from a palm-tree, but having only
hoofs he could not climb the tree. He, therefore, went in search of his friend
the Rat, and said to him "I know where there is a fine bunch of palm-nuts,
and if you will promise to give me some I will show you where it is."
The
Rat readily promised to share the nuts. So together, they went to the forest,
and the Gazelle pointed out the nuts to his friend.
With his strong, sharp claws, the Rat quickly mounted the palm-tree, and found there three bunches of palm-nuts; but instead of cutting them down; he sat on a palm-frond and began to eat them.
With his strong, sharp claws, the Rat quickly mounted the palm-tree, and found there three bunches of palm-nuts; but instead of cutting them down; he sat on a palm-frond and began to eat them.
After
a time the Gazelle shouted out, "Friend Rat, throw me down some of the nuts
according to your promise." "Oh," cried the Rat, "when I am
eating I am deaf, and cannot hear what is said to me" and he continued to
munch away at the nuts.
The
Gazelle waited a little, and again called out, "Please throw me some of
the palm-nuts, for I have hoofs, and cannot climb a tree like you." But
the Rat ate greedily on, and took no notice of his friend's request, except to
say that he was deaf when eating.
The
Gazelle thereupon gathered some leaves, grass, twigs, and stubble, and made a
large fire at the bottom of the palm-tree. In a short time the
Rat
called out "Uncle Gazelle, put out your fire, the heat and smoke are
choking me."
"Oh,"
replied the Gazelle, "when I am warming myself by the fire I cannot hear
what is said to me" and he heaped more firewood and dried grass on the
fire.
The
Rat, choking with the smoke, lost his grip on the tree, and fell to the ground
dead. The Gazelle returned to the town and took possession of all the goods
belonging to the Rat. If you make a promise, keep it; and if you want a
kindness shown to you, you must do kind things to others.
In everyday life African folklore teaches lessons with ancient words of wisdom.
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