Tales of Tambolo E-Book

Rotimi Ogunjobi

• Herausgeber: xceedia publishing
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Seitenzahl: 44

Beschreibung

The town of Tambolo is a place where stories come alive - storues for education and entertainment. This is a collection of eleven fictional short stories for children set in a place from Tambolo Town. Stories include: The Elephant Trap, The Forbidden Orange Tree, The Wonderful Singing Bird, Ngozi and the Witch Who Ate Children's Dinners, The Magic Cooking Pot, The Unking Rich Woman,Tafa and the Friendly Spirits, Mama Wunika's Stolen Dinner. The King's Lost Son, Chichi and the Eagle, The Garden of Treasures.

Leseprobe

Tales of Tambolo

Auntie Mimie Children Series

© 2013 Rotimi Ogunjobi

ISBN:

AUTHOR'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The stories in this book were adapted from African folk tales and have been retold for easier comprehension.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

AUTHOR'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

THE ELEPHANT TRAP

THE FORBIDDEN ORANGE TREE

THE WONDERFUL SINGING BIRD

NGOZI AND THE WITCH WHO ATE CHILDREN’S DINNERS

THE MAGIC COOKING POT

THE UNKIND RICH WOMAN

TAFA AND THE FRIENDLY SPIRITS

MAMA WUNIKA’S STOLEN DINNER

THE KING’S LOST SON

CHICHI AND THE EAGLE

THE ELEPHANT TRAP

A long time ago in Tambolo Town, at a time when men and animals could still talk to one another, there was a great king and his name was Gudu. And there was a time when King Gudu became very ill, and it was feared that he would die. All the healers from far and wide tried to heal him, with no luck, and the king at last sent for Jegbedu, the dreaded wizard who lived in the evil forest.

‘What do you see, O great wizard?’ the king weakly asked after Jegbedu had examined him. But the wizard only shook his head sadly.

‘It is a very terrible disease,’ he said at last. ‘Indeed you have less than seven days to live unless you drink a medicine which only I am able to make. But the medicine can only be made from the heart of a live elephant.’

And King Gudu sorrowfully wondered where he would find a live elephant. He could send hunters into the forest to kill an elephant, but who was it that could bring a live elephant to the palace. So he commanded that it be announced everywhere that anyone who would bring the king an elephant within five days would get half of his kingdom and also his beautiful daughter, Wundia, as a bride.

Dauda was a young and very poor hunter who barely made a living from his work; but he was nevertheless known all over as a persuasive man: often able to get other people to do as he wished without much difficulty. And when Dauda heard this announcement, he imagined how much his life could be changed if he won the prize offered by the king. So Dauda the hunter went to see the king.

‘I will bring you an elephant,’ Dauda said to the king. And in spite of his illness the king laughed and so did all the people with him in the palace, because Dauda was also a short man, only four feet tall.

‘You will bring me an elephant? Why, you are no bigger than an elephant’s leg. Go away you foolish jester,’ the king said. But Dauda did not leave.

‘Half of your kingdom and your beautiful daughter, Wundia, for my wife, will be my reward if I bring you an elephant? Dauda asked.

‘Certainly; but why waste our time? You have no hope of doing this,’ the king was getting angry now.

‘Am I allowed one request then before I go away?’ Dauda again asked; and the king waved his hand impatiently.

‘Dig a deep pit at the gate of the palace; deep enough to trap an elephant. And when you have done this you must cover it with mats and place a throne as good as yours right in the middle. If you do this I promise to bring you an elephant tomorrow.‘

And because King Gudu was very ill and so desperate to be well again, he commanded that the pit be dug.

‘It is true that the elephant is bigger but I am cleverer,’ said the young hunter as he went away.

When he got home, Dauda fried some delicious buns; he then set out for the forest in search of an elephant. For several hours he wandered through the forest looking until he finally found an elephant resting under a tree.

‘What are you doing here? Haven’t you heard the news?’ Dauda said to the elephant.

‘What news?’ the elephant was certainly confused.

‘The king is dead and since there is none as big as you, it has been decided to make you king over all men and animals,’ Dauda flattered.

‘Me a king? I am sure that cannot be true; I am too fat, awkward and ugly,’ the elephant laughed.

‘But everybody thinks otherwise. You are the natural choice; big, strong and reliable. You are fit to be king,’ Dauda told the elephant. ‘Look I have brought some buns. They are already preparing a feast for you, and I got these from the kitchen.’

And so the elephant ate one of the buns, and then more.

‘They are delicious,’ he trumpeted.

‘There is more at the palace waiting for you,’ Dauda laughed.

And so they both set off for the town, and as they walked along Dauda gave the elephant more buns.

Dauda had already arranged for some singers and musicians to raise a song when they see him approaching with the elephant, and as soon as they saw him from afar off they started to sing:

‘King Elephant is coming

Chorus: The king is coming

He is coming to rule over us