African fables

I went out with a Burkinabe the other night and near the end of our conversation he told me several african fables that I will now share with you because I can.

First one I didn't really understand so we'll skip it. Next one was about a beautiful woman who was great but never spoke. Her father was the chief of the village and he said that the person who could get her to speak would get to marry her. Well all the men from all over came and tried to get her to speak. They told jokes, sad stories and gave her gifts but nothing worked. Then all the animals came. The lion- nothing, zebra- nope, all the animals came and none succeeded. Finally the hare came to try it out. Now the woman had a little puppy that she loved more than anything, she took it with her everywhere and she loved that little dog. Well the hare came around and brought a plate of yogurt and a plate of to. He ate the yogurt and offered some to the dog. The dog took it. Then he raised his arm, the dog raised its little paw, then he took some of the to and stuck it up his butt.The little puppy pawed at the to and got ready to stick it up his butt also but the woman yelled 'No! stop it! Why would you do that? Why would you make my dog do that? Basically she went off the handle on this hare (and can you blame her?). The woman was pissed but the cheif was super happy because she spoke and the hare got to marry her. The end.

When I started at him in shock after a while, he looked concerned and asked if I understood and I was like...I think so, it's just real weird... you tell these stories to kids? Because the moral is to do weird to stuff to dogs. -No, no the moral is that the hare won because he was smarter then all the other people and animals.... right, he manipulated the feelings of this woman to win a contest. Curious. Next story.

Fast forward several years, the cheif of this same village is about to kick the bucket. But he has no sons and no heir and he needs to find someone to lead the village when he's gone. So he comes up with a plan. A competition no less! In the middle of the town there is a platform that is very clean, no dust and the chief says that the first person to dance so well and fast on that that they kick up clouds of dust will be the next cheif. Well once again all the people tried and all the animals, but no one could kick up any dust, that platform was too clean, it was just impossible. Then along comes the hare, he puts dirt in the cuffs of his pants and shirt and sets about dancing on the platform. Soon enought there is dust flying everywhere, everyone is super impressed and he gets to be the next cheif. The end.

So what's the moral of that one? If you cheat you can get to be cheif or something else awesome? Yup, he cheated but he was smarter then the other animals and people that's why he got ahead. -But he cheated? So when you tell this to children they will think it's okay to cheat. -No, he was smarter then the others, that's why he got ahead. -...by cheating. Then I told him about the tortoise and the hare. The moral of that story being that you have to work hard to win, you can't do a good job and then slack off at the end, it's got to be a continuous effort- the slow and steady win the race. Nope, if you're smarter it's okay to cheat. Cheat to win.

Land of the upright and honest people my ass.