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The Story of the Co-wives

by South Sudanese Folktales | Jun 9, 2016 | Submitted Folktales, Uncategorized | 0 comments

There were two co-wives. One of them was very jealous, so she went to a traditional doctor (kujur) and asked for a medicine to make her husband love her more than her co-wife.

The kujur asked her to bring him a lion whisker. He instructed, “Bring the lion whisker and I will make the medicine that will ensure your husband will never leave you and never look at any other woman. In three days you have to bring the lion whisker.”

So, she went into the forest and she found the lion. He was awake and she feared him, so she returned home.
On the second day, she found the lion was playing with his kids.
On the third day, she found the lion was sleeping, so she went carefully and cautiously and pulled a whisker from the lion.

Since the kujur had given her a 3-day deadline, she ran fast to the kujur, announcing loudly, “Here I come!”

Immediately, the kujur said to her: “Have you brought the whisker?”
She answered: “Yes.”

She showed the kujur the whisker, which still had attached to it some flesh and blood.

Now, imagine what he told her then? He said, “My sister! I don’t have a medicine to give you so that your husband would love you, but with the same way that you managed to get the whisker from the lion without fearing that he might eat you, you can also make your husband see you as a mother of his children and love you and always flirt with you in the house.”

 

Storyteller Reflections

I have co-wives. The Bible tells us to ask for wisdom, and if you don’t have patience and strength you can’t live with co-wives, this is one; and two, I have sons and daughters of my co-wives and I managed to bring them on my side, and that’s something my mother taught me.

Now I have children, but I don’t call my husband by the name of one of my children, not because I can’t call him with my son’s name but because out of respect [for my co-wife], I call him by the name of his eldest son, the son of the elder wife, and those children also call me mama.

Sometimes you face problems and difficulties in life and you sit still doing nothing. But God gave you a brain to bring someone from this side and another from the other side to get busy and to adjust your life and to live in difficult situation. Seriously, we are living in a hard situation, but if we just sat and did nothing [and as people of Juba say] you will be dull. But you need to use your mind to live your life and to overcome the existing problems.

 

The Story of the Co-wives

Narrator: Rose Zakaria

  Submitted Folktale Details

 Storyteller: Rose Zakaria
 Language: Arabic
 Place: Juba (Hai Tarawa)
(as told to Elfatih Atem via phone)
 Date: 2016
 

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Folktales Folktales Collected in Bentiu Folktales Collected in Pibor Folktales Collected in Renk Folktales Collected in UNMISS PoC site, Juba Na'eesh Mabadh Submitted Folktales University of Juba Folktale Project

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The Story of the Horse and the Sheep

by South Sudanese Folktales | May 29, 2016 | Submitted Folktales, Uncategorized | 0 comments

There was a farm and the owner of the farm had a sheep and a horse. The horse was doing all the work of the farm.

One day the horse got sick and lay down, so all the work of the farm stopped.  The owner of the farm came often to check on the horse. One day the owner of the farmer visited the watchman and told him, “If the horse doesn’t recover within the next three days, I will slaughter him.”

The sheep heard that conversation and went straightaway to the horse and told him, “I heard the owner of the farm saying that if you haven’t recovered within the next three days he will slaughter you!”

The horse tried on the first day to stand up but he failed; on the second day, he tried again but also failed to stand up; on the third day, when he was supposed to be slaughtered, the sheep came to him and said, “Today is your last day and you have to stand up.” The sheep helped him and helped him until he stood up and recovered. When the owner of the farm came and found the horse standing up, he became very happy.

What was his reaction? He said, “Now that the horse has recovered, we have to slaughter the sheep to celebrate the recovery of the horse.”

The Story of the Horse and the Sheep

Narrator: Rose Zakaria

  Submitted Folktale Details

 Storyteller: Rose Zakaria
 Language: Arabic
 Place: Juba (Hai Tarawa)
(as told to Elfatih Atem via phone)
 Date: 2016
 

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Recent Comments

  • South Sudanese Folktales on The Story of Turtle and the Birds
  • challo ali on The Story of Turtle and the Birds
  • Elfatih Atem on The Story of Chicken and Elephant

Project Categories

Folktales Folktales Collected in Bentiu Folktales Collected in Pibor Folktales Collected in Renk Folktales Collected in UNMISS PoC site, Juba Na'eesh Mabadh Submitted Folktales University of Juba Folktale Project

Project Tags

Abialang Dinka Ali Majok bird cannibals caution chicken competition court cow death Dinka Docklace Api elephant fox friendship Gatliah Diu Ngundeng Gatloth Gai Stephen greed husbands John Jal Mayen Juba Arabic lalob lion marriage monkey murder Murle Nuer Nyadoal Nyaduong Ruot Duoth peacebuilding Pibor radio drama rat Renk revenge Rubkhona Ruot George skull soldiers street theatre Unity State University of Juba wives women

Follow Us

Recent Comments

  • South Sudanese Folktales on The Story of Turtle and the Birds
  • challo ali on The Story of Turtle and the Birds
  • Elfatih Atem on The Story of Chicken and Elephant

Project Categories

Folktales Folktales Collected in Bentiu Folktales Collected in Pibor Folktales Collected in Renk Folktales Collected in UNMISS PoC site, Juba Na'eesh Mabadh Submitted Folktales University of Juba Folktale Project

Project Tags

Abialang Dinka Ali Majok bird cannibals caution chicken competition court cow death Dinka Docklace Api elephant fox friendship Gatliah Diu Ngundeng Gatloth Gai Stephen greed husbands John Jal Mayen Juba Arabic lalob lion marriage monkey murder Murle Nuer Nyadoal Nyaduong Ruot Duoth peacebuilding Pibor radio drama rat Renk revenge Rubkhona Ruot George skull soldiers street theatre Unity State University of Juba wives women

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