African Fables, Book III

By Eudene Keidel and Christopher Clemens

These African fables are part of the traditional folklore of African peoples in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Botswana, and Gabon. African culture is enriched by such lessons that provide universal wisdom and instruction for all of us no matter what our culture or background. Every story is illustrated with a cartoon and an accompanying African proverb or saying to enhance the lesson. These stories are written for an elementary school aged level but may be used for all ages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Resource Publications
• Release date: Feb 7, 2024
• ISBN: 9798385208357

Eudene Keidel

Eudene Keidel, the compiler, and her husband, Levi, spent more than twenty years in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1951-81). They worked with the Congo Mennonite Church under African Inter-Mennonite Mission in church planting, Bible teaching, and pastoral leadership development. Eudene helped to establish several medical clinics, training Congolese nurses in infant delivery, nutrition, and public health. She was a registered nurse, Bloomington (IL) School of Nursing (1948).

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Preface

These stories are part of the traditional folklore of African peoples in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Botswana, and Gabon. African culture is enriched by such lessons or fables that provide universal wisdom and instruction for all of us, no matter what our culture or background. It is good to reflect on each fable and what it teaches us. Every story is illustrated with a cartoon and an accompanying African proverb or saying to enhance the lesson. These stories are written for an elementary school–aged level but may be used for all ages.

Thank you to all the many friends from across Africa who spent hours telling these stories to Eudene Keidel, who then recorded and transcribed this collection.

Previous collections compiled by Eudene Keidel have been published as African Fables that Teach about God (1978), and African Fables that Teach about God, Book II (1981), and are currently being republished by Wipf and Stock Publishers, Eugene, OR. These books can be purchased online.

Ruth Keidel Clemens

1

Mr. Ox Goes to a Wedding

A wedding! Mr. Ox liked going to weddings. He thought it was fine fun.

One day when he was invited to a wedding, he was told, When you come to the wedding bring some of your friends.

Who shall I invite? he wondered. He decided to invite his three friends: the pig, the donkey, and the goat. They were all so excited to go to a wedding with Mr. Ox! They had never been to a wedding before.

But they had just one problem—none of them had any nice clothes to wear.

Now, Mr. Ox often went to parties. He had some extra suits to wear. He told his friends, On the day of the wedding come to my house and each of you can borrow one of my nice suits. The three friends were very happy. They had seen the ox’s fine clothes. Now they could wear some themselves!

The day finally came for the wedding. The three friends came to Mr. Ox’s house. He gave them each a nice suit to wear. Take good care of my nice clothes, he told them.

Oh, we will! We will! they all promised.

As they were walking down the road together to the wedding, they passed the ash dump. When Mr. Donkey saw the pile of ashes he stopped and looked at it longingly. He liked to roll in ashes. He said, I must roll in those ashes just a bit. If I roll over once or twice it won’t hurt Mr. Ox’s suit too badly.

Oh, no, objected Mr. Ox, Don’t do that. You’ll get yourself and your suit all dusty and then you can’t go to the wedding.

No, I’ll be very careful, promised the donkey as he trotted off to the ash pile. He rolled over and over in the ashes with his nice suit on. It was so much fun! When he got up he looked at himself and his suit was all dusty. He tried to clean it but the ash dust wouldn’t come off. So he couldn’t go to the wedding.

Mr. Ox left the donkey behind and continued to the wedding with the pig and the goat.

Pretty soon the goat spotted a thorn tree. This particular tree had delicious leaves that goats like to eat. Its branches hung close to the ground so he could easily jump into the tree and have a snack.

Oh, look, bleated the goat, I’m so hungry for some of these yummy leaves. I think I’ll have a few.

But be careful, warned the ox. You could tear your clothes badly on those big thorns.

Oh no, I won’t tear my clothes. I’ll be careful, shouted the goat as he ran toward the thorn tree.

Before Mr. Ox could say any more, Mr. Goat was already up in the tree. The goat moved here and there on the branch. The leaves tasted so good. His suit caught on the thorns, but he paid no attention.

When he finished his snack Mr. Goat jumped to the ground. Then he looked at his suit. It was all in tatters just like the ox had said it would be. He couldn’t possibly go to the wedding like that! So he had to turn back too and not go to the wedding with Mr. Ox.

Now it was only Mr. Ox and Mr. Pig who were left to go to the wedding. They had almost arrived at the wedding when the pig spotted a pit full of mud.

A mud pit! squealed the pig. I must spend a little time in it before we go to the wedding. Before the ox could warn him, the pig was in the mud pit with his nice suit on.

This time Mr. Ox didn’t even wait for the pig to get out of the mud. He knew the pig wouldn’t be able to go to the wedding either.

So Mr. Ox had to go to the wedding all by himself. His friends had to miss out on all the fun because they wouldn’t follow Mr. Ox’s wise advice.

Mr. Ox’s friends had to miss out on all the fun because they wouldn’t follow his wise advice.

2

How the Old Dog Got a New Life

Once there was a family who lived on a cattle farm on the edge of an African forest. The family had an old dog. He had lived with them for a long time but now he was too old to herd cattle or to hunt. So he spent most of the time just lying in the shade doing nothing or watching the children play.

One day the dog heard the family talking about him. He strained his ears to hear what they were saying. Our old dog is no longer helping us, the farmer said to his wife. He just eats and sleeps. It’s time we put him to sleep for good.

The dog was frightened! What shall I do? he