JUNUB Development Watch

Mandinka moral story

“At this certain time, in a certain
village, lived this certain person.” It was a small boy who walked to the riverbank oneday and found a crocodile trapped in a net.
“Help me!” the crocodile cried out.
“You’ll kill me!” cried the boy.
“No! Come nearer!” said the crocodile.
So the boy went up to the crocodile—and instantly was
seized by the teeth in that long mouth.
“Is this how you repay my goodness—with badness?”
cried the boy.
“Of course,” said the crocodile out of the corner of his mouth. “That is the way of the world.”
The boy refused to believe that, so the crocodile agreednot to swallow him without getting an opinion from the firstthree witnesses to pass by.
First was an old donkey. When the boy asked his opinion, the donkey said, “Nowthat I’m old and can no longer work, my master has driven me out for the leopards to get me!”
“See?” said the crocodile. Next to pass by was an oldhorse, who had the same opinion.
“See?” said the crocodile.
Then along came a plumprabbit who said, “Well, I can’t give a good opinion withoutseeing this matter as it happened from the beginning.” Grumbling, the crocodile opened his mouth to tell him—and the boy jumped out to safety on the riverbank.
“Do you like crocodile meat?” asked the rabbit.
The boysaid yes. “And do your parents?” He said yes again. “Then
here is a crocodile ready for the pot.”
The boy ran off and returned with the men of the village, who helped him to kill the crocodile. But they brought withthem a wuolo dog, which chased and caught and killed therabbit, too.
“So the crocodile was right,” said Nyo Boto. “It is the wayof the world that goodness is often repaid with badness".