The Story of Chicken and Elephant

The Story of Chicken and Elephant

The Story of Chicken and Elephant

Read this storyListen to Na'eesh Mabadh

Once upon a time, Elephant and Chicken were friends. One day they sat together and discussed about their differences. Elephant said that he is the best and the biggest animal in the whole forest. He is the best because he is very strong, big, and can do things that other animals cannot do.

Chicken told Elephant, “You are right, but being big and strong does not qualify you to be the best in the whole forest. We are all created in different ways but still, we are living things, and what all living things are doing is the same. You have forelegs to support you like I have wings to support me. We both eat and drink so I don’t see any difference that you are talking about.”

We are all created in different ways but still, we are living things

Elephant told Chicken that, “Though we both eat and drink, I still have the quality of being the strongest. What I am eating is even bigger than what you eat; and the water I am drinking is more than what anyone does. So no one can compete with me.”

Chicken told Elephant, “My friend, I myself can compete with you. What I eat and drink is more than you do.”

The argument continued and, as they were discussing, Mr. Hare appeared and asked them what the argument was all about.

Each of them explained and finally Hare told them, “There is no need to talk and talk. Come, and let us do it practically.”

They all agreed and Hare told them, “I will be the judge and I have to see who will be the winner. So now you can start by eating and then later drinking.”

So Elephant and Chicken started eating anything that was there and Hare stood by and watched them.

Elephant, within some hours, became satisfied but Chicken continued. Elephant and Hare were watching him eating, waiting for him to be satisfied, but all in vain. Chicken continued until the darkness covered everywhere. Hare feared to tell Elephant that the winner was Chicken and so he decided to escape slowly.

Chicken started croaking and when Elephant heard it, he could not wait anymore; he immediately ran away.

Up to now, when Elephant hears Chicken croaking, he does not wait because he reminds himself of the past incident. So Elephant cannot stand to hear Chicken croaking, once this happens, he has to run away as fast as his legs can carry him.

Up to now, if the Murle of Boma want to go for hunting, they have to take with them a cock to scare the elephants since there are very many elephants in the Boma forest.

Reflections:
1) What does this story tell you about about ‘greatness’?

Folktales Collected in Renk

Folktales Collected in Pibor

Folktales Collected in Bentiu

Folktales Collected in UNMISS PoC site, Juba

The Story of Chicken and Elephant

by Na'eesh Mabadh Team | Na'eesh Mabadh Radio Programme

Enjoyed The Story of Chicken and Elephant? Listen to the Na’eesh Mabadh adaptation of this folktale for radio.

Na’eesh Mabadh is a peacebuilding project inspired by South Sudanese folktales.
Learn more about this project on the Na’eesh Mabadh page.


The Story of the Young Man and the Skull

The Story of the Young Man and the Skull

A Story of the Young Man and the Skull

Read this storyListen to Na'eesh Mabadh

A long time ago there was a young man who kept cattle. One day he took his cows for grazing and on his way to the grazing field he found a skull that looked very beautiful. He stood and watched it for a while and said, “Oh my God, but why are you killing such beautiful people?” He then continued with his grazing.

The next day he also came and repeated his question. Suddenly, as he was about to move on, he heard the skull reply, “Oh my dear, I died because of lies!” The man was surprised and dashed away immediately as if he heard nothing.

On the third day, he used the same route and, as he had done on the first day, he asked his question. The skull responded as it had done on the second day.

Oh my dear, I died because of lies!

The man ran home and told the story to the chief and the soldiers. Nobody believed him, but the young man insisted, telling them that it was true. He told them, “If you think it is a lie, come with me and witness for yourselves!”

The chief asked him, “What if it proves to be false? What do you want us to do to you?”

The man replied boldly, “You have to kill me!”

The chief ordered his soldiers to follow, and to do as he had agreed with the young man.

The soldiers went with the young man, and when they reached the place of the skull he said, “Here is the skull and now let me talk as I did in the previous days.” So he talked to the skull and the skull did not reply.

The soldiers told him, “Look young man, you have lied to our chief and now we are going to kill you as you have said we should.” So the soldiers killed him.

As they were about to go back to the village they suddenly heard a voice saying, “This is what I told you young man, and now you have also died as I died.

The soldiers murmured to themselves and decided not to go and tell the king what had happened. They too feared what would happen to them if they told the chief the truth, and so they only told him, “The man has lied to all of us! and we have killed him as you agreed and told us to do.”

Reflections:

1) Do you think that the truth will always come out/prevail? Does that give you hope or make you afraid?
2) What matters most in this story, truth or power? What should matter most in the world, truth or power?

Folktales Collected in Renk

Folktales Collected in Pibor

Folktales Collected in Bentiu

Folktales Collected in UNMISS PoC site, Juba

The Story of the Young Man and the Skull

by Na'eesh Mabadh Team | Na'eesh Mabadh Radio Programme

Enjoyed The Story of the Young Man and the Skull? Listen to the Na’eesh Mabadh adaptation of this story for radio.

Na’eesh Mabadh is a peacebuilding project inspired by South Sudanese folktales.
Learn more about this project on the Na’eesh Mabadh page.