A Somali folklore.
Childrens stories are very common in Somalia. Because writing and reading are relatively new in the Somali language, storytelling is an effective way of conveying messages and lesons of life to the next generations. There are some fiction stories about animals and things. The hyena, the fox, the crow, tortoise and sheep are some of the most commonly quoted animals. Here I have translated a small story about a blind sheep and a hyena. Enjoy
Once upon a time, there was a blind ewe which lived with other sheep in remote parts of Somalia. It used to graze close to the other sheep inorder to track their movements and sounds. One day, the blind ewe slept and the other sheep went home.
When the blind sheep woke up, the place was quiet and there was no movement. It assumed that the other sheep were still grazing in the forest and patiently waited for their return. The blind sheep did not know that her friends were gone for the day.
A greedy hyena saw the ewe from a distance and became very happy. The hyena was very happy to find a fat sheep in the bush at night and thought it was a blessing from God. The greedy hyena started to run towards the ewe in order to kill and eat its flesh. It was a blessing in disguise. The blind sheep was very pleased to hear the movement. It thought that the other sheep were approaching and ran as fast as she could towards the hyena.
When the hyena saw this, he was shocked and started running away. The blind sheep kept on running after the hyena until the hyena was exhausted to death. The greedy hyena managed to say just one final sentence:
“The poor sheep I was trying to eat has eaten me!”
Lesson: Never give up. Never underestimate anything. A blind sheep has enough strength to kill a hyena because of her determination to join the flock at all costs.
ABDULLAHI,
Wonderful story! I enjoyed reading this so much. I love the lesson: Never give up. I sometimes do give up on things, but this story has given me a valuable lesson. Thank you.
