Ethiopian Folktales

Narrated by Mohammed Ahmed Algani

Once upon a time there was an ostrich who had a cow and a lion who had a bull and the lion said to the ostrich, “Why don’t we take our cow and bull grazing together, so instead of both of us being herdsmen, one day you can take care of them and one day I will?”

So they continued living in their happy way for a couple of months and the cow became pregnant.

Then one day, when the cow was about to deliver, the lion noticed and he said, “It’s OK, ostrich, you can rest. I’ll go and look after the cow and the bull today.”

Then the cow gave birth and the lion said, “Look, your cow gave birth to a big grindstone and my bull gave birth to a calf.”

And the ostrich said, “This is ridiculous.”

The lion said, “It’s not,” so they had a big quarrel and decided to call all the animals and make them decide.

So a big gathering was called, but none of the animals dared to say that the lion’s bull could not give birth.

So one cunning fox said, “I won’t come to the gathering, but as I go rushing by, you can ask me to pronounce the judgement.”

So as he went running by, everyone in the gathering said, “Mr. Fox! Mr. Fox! Can you please come down?”

And he said, “No, I’m in a hurry. I’m carrying a knife because my father is in labour and, besides, the sun’s setting and it’s about to rain, so I’ve got to run and help them help deliver my father who is in labour.”

And the lion said, “What rubbish! How can your father be in labour? Isn’t he a male?”

And the fox said, “So you’d like me to tell you some other rubbish? That a bull gave birth to a calf?”

And he ran away.

The angry lion ran after him and the ostrich was left with the cow and the calf.