The Man and The Beast

A man and a beast struck an unusual friendship. One day the beast saw the man cupping his hands and blowing into them. The beast asked why he did that. The man told him it was to warm his hands. Another day the man was eating a meal, this time he was blowing his food. The beast again asked why he was blowing. The man said to cool down his food. The beast declared "I can no longer be your friend." The man asked "why not?" the beast said "I could never trust anyone who could blow both hot and could air from the same mouth!" Moral: don't trust a man who talks for both sides either!

The Frog and the Bucket of Milk

A young frog was exploring the farm where he lived when he accidentally jumped into a bucket of fresh milk.  

At first the frog took a swim in the strange white water.  After a little while he decided to jump out of the bucket.  But the frog couldn't get a good grip from the bottom of the bucket or from its sides.  Soon he began to fear that he would never get out. He would never see his family again.  But the frog kept trying to jump out.  After some time, the frog was ready to quit and sink to the bottom of bucket and die.  He began to think about all the things he had never done.  He thought about his family.  So the frog kept on trying, He kept on jumping.  The more he jumped and kicked the harder and thicker the milk became, but he would not quit.  After a while all that kicking and jumping churned the milk into butter and that frog jumped out of that bucket on to dry land.  Moral: Never Give Up!

Trading Marbles

A man at the checkout line in a neighborhood grocery store watched as the store owner talked to a little boy.  The boy was admiring some fresh ripe tomatoes.  The store owner asked if the wanted to buy some.  The boy told him that he didn't have the money.  "What you got to trade for it?" the man asked.  Just this blue marble.  The man said "You know I prefer red. Take the tomatoes and when you come back bring me a red marble."  The boy smiled as he left with the tomatoes.  The store owner's wife told the man watching how her husband help out two other boys who just don't have much.  She said they always come back with a marble but it is never the right color."  Years later the store owner dies and many people came to show their respects, including the man in the store that day.  He noticed three well dressed young men hug the man's widow and then lean over into the casket.  When it was the man's turn to speak to the widow, he reminded her of the day they met and the boy with the marble.  She smiled and told the man that those were the three boys. "They came to settle their debt." she told him.  He looked into the casket and between the man's folded thumbs and fingers were three of the shiniest red marbles he had ever seen. Moral: Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

The Bridge

A father and son loved each other very much.  The father provided for his son's every need.  The son loved to go to work with his father, who operated a drawbridge across the river.  One Friday,  the father picked up his son after school and took him to work as a surprise.  As they walked passed the train station the son was very curious about all the people waiting on the train.  The father set up a fishing pole for his son by the river as he went to clock in.  The father told him he would come and get him so he could raise the bridge when the train came.  The train whistle blew in the distance. The son turned to the window to tell his dad the train was coming.  The father was not in the window.  The son could hear the train running full steam ahead.  He called to his father again, but his father didn't hear him.  The train was very close and the bridge was still up.  The son decided to push the emergency lever in the wheel and pulley box near the tracks.  As the son was trying to reach the lever the father heard the train whistle. He went to the window to call the son.  He glimpsed his son falling into the box.  The ground began to shake as the train approached.  The father knew he had to pick between saving this only son, and all the people on the train. With tears in his eyes, he pushed the button lowering the drawbridge crushing his son, but saving the passengers.  He stood in tears watching as the train passed by.  The passengers continued on their journey never knowing of the father's sacrifice.

Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock

On a walk in the woods, Anansi the spider finds a rock near the edge of the road.  Now it was common to see rocks on the road, but his rock was covered in moss.  Surprised Anansi said " My what a strange moss covered rock!  No sooner than he said thoses words he feel fast asleep.  After a few hours Anansi awoke, confused about why he was lying on the ground.  He sat up and noticed the rock again, "My what a strange moss covered rock" he said again.  And once again Anansi  fell fast asleep.  When Anansi awoke this time he never said a word.  Instead he showed Ox the rock. Ox said "My what a strange moss covered rock!"  While Ox sleep he went and stole Ox's yams.  Next he played the trick on Elephant, and while he sleep he stole all of his bananas.  All that day and the next Anansi tricked his friends and stole their food.  Bush Deer watched all of this from the cover of the thick bush.  When Anansi saw Bush Deer, Anansi remembered that he had a big supply of coconuts, and he loved coconut milk.  Anansi lead Bush Deer to the rock, but Bush Deer pretended not to see the rock.  Anansi point "what is that?"  "I don't see anything." replied the Bush Deer.  Anansi got angry and yelled "You are supposed to say 'My what a strange moss covered rock!"  And Anansi hit the ground fast asleep.  Bush Deer called all the animals who Anansi tricked and went they got back all he had stolen from them.

The Legend of Mali Sadio

 During the time when time was young, in the village of Bafoulabe two rivers flowed together, one blue one white.  The river was a dangerous one, and the women were afraid to go to the river to wash and draw water because of crocodiles and other violent animals.  One day as a pregnant woman came to the river to draw water, a hippopotamus appeared in the water near her. The hippo was unique.  It was two toned, its body was gray, but its feet were white.  It had a white streak on its face and its eyes were as golden as the sun.  She was frighten by the Hippo, but the Hippo spoke to her calming her.  He offered her and the village protection.  The village was grateful for Mali, the bamanakan word for hippo.  The woman gave birth to a girl and called her Sadio which means pure.  As the girl grew she became very close to Mali.  Sadio would spend hours at the river swimming with and jumping off of Mali.  Over many years their friendship became love.  One young hunter had fallen in love with the girl, but everyone knew her heart belonged to Mali. His anger grew deeper as he saw them together. So he plotted to kill Mali.  Now without Mali to protect the villagers, the river once again became very dangerous.  Sadio never married.  To this day a statue stands in Bafoulabe in honor of Mali Sadio. Moral: The selfish actions of a single person bring pain and hardship on many others.

The Birds and the Arrow

A hunter traveled many miles to a gathering where hundreds of birds held an annual meeting.  The hunter requested that the birds give him one bird so he could make arrows.  After much deliberation the birds agreed to give the hunter a wild turkey.  The hunter killed the turkey and used its feathers to make the fletching for his arrows.  As soon as his quiver was full, the hunter began shooting and killing all of the fine birds in the field.  The great Eagle flying above the the hunter's arrows remarked to another escaping bird.  "Our first mistake was the most tragic for us all.  We should have never given up the rights of our brother Turkey. Because of our foolishness, we all perish." Moral: sacrificing the rights of others, may endanger your own.