Ethiopian Folktales

Narrated by Akuchchwach Chibi

Once there had been a drought and there was a famine. There was a wicked man and his wife living together with their children and they set out to find something to eat in the forest. Then accidentally the wife saw a dead wild animal from far away.

She said, "I've seen a dead animal. I am lucky. God gave me and my children something to eat."

But her husband saw that it was a good animal and he said, "No, it was I who found it."

So they went up to the animal, and he said, "All this is for me. I will not give you any to eat."

The woman went to find some sour small fruits for her children to eat, and she looked for water, but she didn't find any. At last she found a well.

She came back and told her husband, who was still skinning and cutting up the joints of meat.

She wanted to return to the pool with a gourd to fetch water, but he refused to let her go and said, "I will go and bring water. While I have gone to get water, don't dare to eat any of the meat or I will punish you."

He counted the pieces of meat – one, two, three, four.

"If one is missing, I will punish you."

He said this because he wanted to eat first.

So he walked backwards towards the well so that he could watch her all the time, but he fell into it. They threw earth on him and buried him. And the woman and children ate the meat.