The Washerwoman
or
The Curious Man Will Lose his Own Property
Narrated by Zaineba Abibeker Deremo
A long time ago there was an old woman who made her living by washing clothes. There was a young man who was her assistant. They would go to the river together and wash clothes all day long and the income they got they would spend on food and the old woman saved the rest.
When the old woman wanted to save the money she would say to the young man, “I’m going to the toilet.”
When she reached a hidden place she would put the money there.
But the boy was always surprised why she was so secretive about going to the bathroom, so one day he thought, “I must see what she is really doing,” and he followed her without her knowing.
Then he discovered that she was saving money in a hidden place. Then he took the money.
The next day the old woman early in the morning went to the hiding place to put some money and found it was gone. So she began to think how to get her money back, and while washing the clothes she said, (song)
“He who takes care to think first
Will get more in the end.”
So the boy understood her song and thought, “I’d better put the money back and wait till there’s more and then I’ll take it all.”
So he put the money back. Then the old woman went to the place and found her money again. So she went to the river and began to wash clothes and sing,
“The one who wants other people’s property will lose what he has.”
The boy understood that he was outsmarted, so he remained empty handed.
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