These are excerpts of my writings so far. If you have not read any of them yet, click here
Plus there is a new one. Click here to read it
Nwanyi Bu Ife; An Allegory of the Girl Child
Erinma was a
bright girl with high hopes for the future. Right from when she lost her mother
to the cold hands of death due to medical neglect, she made up her mind that
she would be a doctor when she grew up. She wanted to save lives. Her diligence
in her studies showed that she was serious about her dream. However, her dream
was dealt a heavy blow when her father lost his only source of income.
Mr. Osita,
was a merchandiser in Main Market, one of the busiest markets in town. He was
doing well until the government decided that part of the market would be
demolished in order to build a city monument. This did not go down well with
those whose shops would be affected, and Mr. Osita was one of them. They
called their bluff, saying that such a thing could never happen. However, as
the date given for the demolition drew near, it was obvious that the authorities
were serious. Market Unions swung into action; delegations were sent to try to
talk the authorities out of their decision, but they were determined. Other
delegations were sent to plead for more time, but their plea fell on deaf ears.
Even request for assistance to relocate the shop owners who would be affected
by the demolition to another place was rejected. Mr. Osita, like other shop
owners, was left with no choice than to source for funds to rent shops
elsewhere. Those who could, did and left. Mr. Osita was unable to raise enough
funds to get another shop. Shop owners had hiked their rental fees due to the
desperation they sensed.
On the day of
demolition, in less than an hour, all the shops in that section of the market
were brought down. Mr. Osita and his sons were only able to remove the goods in
the shop on time. It was a sad day for the shop owners.
That was when
Mr. Osita’s finances began to go down, until he could not afford to pay his
children’s school fees anymore. Erinma and her three brothers; Ekene, Ugonna
and Udochukwu, were told to stop coming to school until they paid their school
fees. It was harder on Erinma and Ekene because they would soon write their Mock
WAEC exams.
“Daddy what will we do?” they asked their father one night.
“I am working towards it alright?” he reassured them calmly.
“If we miss this exam,” Erinma said. “We will not be able to write it
again until next year.”
“My daughter, I know.”
The
boys seemed unperturbed. They didn’t have as much interest in education as
Erinma had. They just wanted to make money as fast as possible. This was why
Ekene who was the first child was in the same class as Erinma who was the
second child. He failed a promotion exam and had to repeat class.
“Go and sleep,” Mr. Osita told them. “Let’s see what tomorrow will
bring.”
The
following day, Mr. Osita went to see an old friend, to see if he could borrow
some money. It was an uncomfortable thing for him to do but he had no choice.
When he got to the friend’s house, he was told that he was not at home but would
likely be in his favorite joint not
very far from the house.
Mr.
Osita stood for a while, wondering whether to go on looking for the man or just
go home. He thought of his children’s plight and he went to the joint. As he
got closer, he could hear his friend talking loudly. When his friend saw him,
he left the people he was talking to and got up to meet him. They shook hands
and exchanged pleasantries.
“What brings you my way today,” Mr. Fred asked.
“The toad does not run in the daytime for nothing,” Mr. Osita responded.
“Which is why I am surprised. The last time we saw was several months
ago. And you were in a hurry.”
“The demolition of my shop really dealt a big blow on me. I have been
trying to survive since then.”
“Let’s sit down please.”
Mr.
Fred looked around for a table that was away from other customers. He saw one
and told Mr. Osita to follow him.
“Sit down,” he said when they got to the table.
Mr.
Osita sat and he sat also.
“What would you like to drink?” He asked.
“Whatever they have is okay,” Mr. Osita answered, uninterested.
“What about your regular?”
“If
they have it, okay.”
Mr.
Fred told a waiter what drinks they were ordering.
“What about Peppersoup?” he asked.
“No oo,” Mr. Osita said. “In this economy?”
“Don’t worry, I will pay.”
“Okay if you say so.”
Mr.
Fred told the waiter to add two plates of Peppersoup.
“So how have you been coping?” he asked.
“It has
not been easy at all,” Mr. Osita replied.
“So government has not compensated you up till now?”
“They have not.”
“These people are heartless.”
“If someone told me that I would be struggling to feed my family, I would
not believe.”
The
waiter brought the drinks and Peppersoup.
“Eat first and forget your sorrows,” Mr. Fred said.
“If only food can make the sorrows go away,” Mr. Osita said sadly.
“My friend, no matter what, eat. After eating, you will have the energy
to face the problem.
Mr.
Osita sighed and took the first spoon.
“Do you like it?” Mr. Fred asked.
“Yes, it is tasty.”
“That is why I always come here.”
When
they were done with the Peppersoup and were sipping the drink, Mr. Osita spoke
up on what brough him.
“Thank you for the Peppersoup,” he said.
“Do you want another plate?” Mr. Fred asked.
“No. I am full.”
He
adjusted himself on the chair.
“Actually, the reason why I came to look for you is to see if I can
borrow some money from you.”
Mr.
Fred nodded like he was listening.
“My children were sent out from school because I have not paid their
school fees since last term.”
Mr.
Fred still did not say a word.
“My main concern is that Ekene and Erinma are about to write their Mock
WAEC.”
“It is a pity,” Mr. Fred said.
He
kept silent again as though he was thinking about what to say. Mr. Osita hoped
he would respond favourably.
“I wish I can help you,” Mr Fred finally said. “You have helped me many
times before. But I don’t have that kind of money right now. As you know, I
don’t have any source of income at the moment. It is only what my children give
me that I can boast of.”
Mr.
Osita sighed and shook his head.
“Come to think of it,” Mr. Fred said. “Why are you bothered about education
when there are other things your children can do?”
“I did not go to the university,” Mr. Osita replied. “So my children
have to.”
“It is not a must. There is no law anywhere that children must achieve
what their parents did not achieve. Don’t create unnecessary problem for
yourself and put pressure on your head.”
“You will not understand.”
“What is there to understand? If you had the money, no problem. But now,
you don’t. And I don’t have to assist you. What will you do?”
“Is there nothing you can give me at all? I will pay back.”
Mr.
Fred picked hit teeth for a while. Then he said, “Okay I will help you pay one
of your children’s fees.”
“Thank you so much,” Mr. Osita said gladly, but his countenance changed
almost immediately.
“What is the problem again?” Mr. Fred asked.
“Nothing. It is just that Ekene and Erinma are in the same class, about
to write the same exam. Who will I pay for and leave the other?”
Mr.
Fred burst into laughter. Mr. Osita felt embarrassed.
“Why are you talking like this?” Mr. Fred asked. “Pay your son’s fees of
course.”
“What about my daughter?”
“School is not for girls. Just train her to be domestic and she will
make a good housewife. Then pray she marries a good and rich man who will take
care of her and you too.”
“It will break my daughter’s heart if she drops out of school.”
“She has to accept it. That is the only
thing to do.”
“But my daughter has dreams. She wants to be a doctor.”
“So did mine. Akudo wanted to be a Media Personality. Today, she is
doing well in her husband’s house, with three children that call me grandpa. What
else can you ask for?”
“So she never became the media…”
“Media indeed. Who will pay? I can’t make that kind of investment on a
girl who will not bear my name and will not get any inheritance according to
customs and tradition. After training her, she will still get married, change
her name and become tied to her husband’s inheritance. So why not hurry the
process of getting her settled in her husband’s house.”
“Things are changing. It is no longer as it used to be.”
“What
exactly changed? Do girls retain their father’s name after marriage?”
“Your daughter is your daughter, no matter the name.”
“What about inheritance? Is there any place where daughters have a
share?”
“Those were days of ignorance. Now, you can always write your will and
leave inheritance for your daughters. Let’s see how customs and traditions will
take it away.”
“The law is not effective in this Nation o. It tilts in favour of the
highest bidder.”
Mr.
Osita sighed again.
“My friend, send your son to school,” Mr. Fred said. “Let your daughter
prepare for marriage.”
“She is too young to be thinking about marriage right now.”
“Akuda was 17 when she got married.”
“17?”
Mazi Osita was
shocked.
“Yes,” Mr. Fred replied. “Why do you sound surprised?”
“That’s too young.”
“Says who? I wanted her to marry at 15 but…”
“Ah ah!”
“Any girl that can conceive and carry a baby is old enough to be
married.”
“That is wrong.”
“You are shocked. What will you do when you go across the Niger and see
how young girls are when they are married off? At the end of the day, everyone
is happy.”
“Everyone is not happy. I can tell you that.”
“Well, I am happy. My daughter and her husband are taking care of me.”
“At the expense of her dreams?”
“She is living my dream for her and she is happy.”
Mr.
Osita was silent for a while, trying to process what he had just heard.
“So her mother was in support of the early marriage?” he asked.
“Does she have any choice?” Mr. Fred retorted.
“As her mother, she has a say in what happens to her daughter.”
“A woman I married into my house cannot decide what happens in my house.
I give the rules, and everybody abides by it.”
He took the
last sip of his drink and called on the waiter.
“Bring us another round of drinks,” he said. “Let me enjoy my daughter’s
husband’s money.”
“I am not in the mood for another bottle,” Mazi Osita said.
“If you say so.”
“Infact, I need to go. Thank you for the drink and Peppersoup.”
Mr.
Osita got up to leave.
“Consider my advice,” Mr. Fred said. “That is the best way forward. It
worked for me.”
At
the door, Mr. Osita turned and asked, “About the promise,…”
“I will call you within the week,” Mr. Fred said.
“Ok thank you.”
Mr.
Osita left.
[To be continued]
#NwanyiBuIfe #GirlChild #Empowerment
#AfricanLiterature #WomenEmpowerment #GirlPower #Allegory #CultureAndIdentity #GirlChildRights
#EducationForGirls #WomenInLiterature #AfricanHeritage #IgboCulture #YouthEmpowerment
#InspiringGirls #GirlChildAdvocacy #BreakingBarriers #WomenOfAfrica #Education
#Literature #Reading #Writing #Nigeria #Africa #Canada
NEW COVER ALERT!
New Cover! Same Content!
To read it, click here
About the book
I promised to show you a story written in pidgin. Well, here it is. You need to read it to understand and enjoy it. The message in it is strong and timely. The challenges youths face in our society are enormous. How do we turn things around? This story captures the typical conversation of distraught Nigerian youths.
FREE OFFER
As schools are about to open, I want to offer these books free of charge throughout January 2024. Download them and enjoy with kids around you. 🕺💃
And YES IT IS THE
WHOLE BOOK and not just excerpts.😉
Against the tide
‘Against the tide’ is the story of a young girl Named Ndidi; the third child of her parents, who up until the death of her father was living in affluence. The story follows her ordeals, hardship she passed trough and what eventually happened to her.
‘Against the tide’ is a well written fictional story that highlights certain issues concerning child labour and abuse as evident in household slavery, street hawking and sexual harassment. The book tries to pick up causes and effects and goes on to make a little effort in proffering solution.
Granny's Moonlight Tales
Granny’s Moonlight Tales was written over 20 years ago. Growing up, my grandma used to tell us a lot of stories and these stories had moral lessons at the end. After night meals, we would gather around her and listen to these sweet stories; the only light coming from the moon outside and a slowly burning local lamp by a corner. It was an experience. Granny’s moonlight Tales is a compilation of these kinds of stories with a blend of proverbs and adages. Reading it as an adult brings a nostalgic feeling while a child reading it creates the same euphoria the adults once had. It is a good read. The tales in this book are original and were not copied from anywhere.
To get the book, click https://selar.co/vfwp
ALL MY WRITINGS SO FAR
There is a new inclusion. Which of them have you read?
This is the story of a two young girls who were exposed to domestic and sexual abuse. The story tries to pick out causes and effects of abuse on minors in the society and goes on to proffer solution.
This is the story of a young 8 year old girl who was sexually molested by her uncle in school. It shows the mistakes parents make and how both the potential victim and the parents can pick up signs of impending abuse.
Just like Granny tells it in moonlight
Granny’s Moonlight Tales was written over 20 years ago. Growing up, my grandma used to tell us a lot of stories and these stories had moral lessons at the end. After night meals, we would gather around her and listen to these sweet stories; the only light coming from the moon outside and a slowly burning local lamp by a corner. It was an experience. Granny’s moonlight Tales is a compilation of these kinds of stories. Reading it as an adult brings a nostalgic feeling while a child reading it creates the same euphoria the adults once had. It is a good read. The stories in these book are original, and were not copied from anywhere.
(100 posts)
This is the story of a lady who got jilted severally and decided to end her life.
I promised to show you a story written in pidgin? Well here it is. You need to read it to understand and enjoy it. It is not going in the direction the title portrays. However, the message in it is strong and timely. The challenges youths face in our society are enormous. How do we turn things around? This story captures the typical conversation of distraught Nigerian youths.
A story that shows the typical experiences of widows in our society. To read, click on the title
A story of a young lady who was not moved by the opinions of others but was proud of her family and the kind of work she did to make ends meet, with twists....click on the title to read
The story of a man who is willing to do anything for the woman he likes, even things unspeakable. to read, click the title
What do you do when you have been abused and it is difficult to find true love? A story of two people who found love again. Click on the title to read.
GRANNY’S MOONLIGHT TALES [EXCERPTS]
ABOUT THE BOOK
Granny’s
Moonlight Tales was written over 20 years ago.
Growing up, my grandma used to tell us a lot of stories and these stories had
moral lessons at the end. After night meals, we would gather around her and
listen to these sweet stories; the only light coming from the moon outside and
a slowly burning local lamp by a corner. It was an experience. Granny’s moonlight Tales is a
compilation of these kinds of stories with a blend of proverbs and adages.
Reading it as an adult brings a nostalgic feeling while a child reading it creates
the same euphoria the adults once had. It is a good read. The tales in this book are original and were not copied from anywhere. Each
tale ends with lessons to be learnt and activities to do.
This book is
basically for kids but adults can read it. However, if you are an adult reading
this book, you need to read it with the mind of a child to enjoy it. If your
kids/wards are too young to read or understand it, you can read it to them and
explain where needed. Some words were used so that the children will use the
opportunity to learn new words and their meaning, hence the activity at the end
of each tale.
[Animal pictures inserted
herein were gotten from Google.com]
Tale 1
THE LIZARD AND THE TAILLESS FROG
Long time
ago in the land of the animals, there lived two good friends. Their friendship
was a strong one. From their childhood, they were friends. When they became
adults, they had become so attached to themselves that they chose to live
together, and they were happy. These friends were the lizard and the frog.
They
lived in a house they built together. Actually, the lizard did most of the
building work because the frog was very lazy. The frog didn’t like doing
anything. He felt anything to be done was not as important as his enjoyment of
food and rest and so would be a waste of his time.
The
lizard, on the other hand, was very hard working. He did anything that needed
to be done without minding who was helping him or not. In fact, that was why
his friendship with frog still continued. He overlooked the frog’s laziness. He
liked the frog for one thing in spite of his laziness; he was humorous. He made
everything funny and entertaining. The frog spent his time talking and creating
humour out of what would have been humourless. So the lizard enjoyed his
company. He kept the frog’s laziness a secret, making up for both of them.
They
had a small farm behind their house which sustained them. It was rich in food
crops. From what was seen on the farm and how neatly cultivated they were, one
would have concluded that more than one animal did the work but it was not so.
Most of the work was done by the lizard. The frog only did a little work after
much persuasion. The lizard didn’t obey the law of ‘he who does not work should
not eat’. He always shared the harvest equally among them without considering
who did what. The crops to be cooked were cooked for both of them to eat
together.
Cooking
followed the same pattern as farming. The lizard did the cooking everyday while
the frog kept cracking jokes. At times, he did negligible work. The lizard
didn’t get angry though he didn’t like how things were going.
The
lizard tried everything he could to make the frog shun laziness and try hard
work but all were to no avail. He tried starving the frog but it was of no use
because the frog had a way of getting anything from him at any time. He tried
not talking to the frog but that didn’t last long because the frog was funny
and so he felt lonely. Sometimes, during that time of isolation, he wouldn’t be
able to hold himself from laughing to the frog’s jokes thus going contrary to
his resolution. So he decided to leave the frog alone.
It is
said that sandy hands bring an oily mouth
and lazy hands make a man poor but
diligent hands bring wealth. With these in mind, the lizard worked harder,
ignoring the frog for he knew that sooner or later, the proverbs would come to
pass. True to his expectation, his hard work soon paid off.
The
Lion who was the king of the land had a very large farmland which he abandoned
for a long time. One season, he decided to farm on it but he didn’t know any
animal that could be paid to do the cultivation. This worried him. One day he
called some of his advisers.
“Long
live our king,” they said while settling down.
“You are
all welcome,” he replied.
“Thank
you our king.”
“Why is
our king’s countenance sad?” the cat asked. “Is all well?”
“Something is really bothering me,” the Lion said. “That is why I called
you here.”
“Speak so
we can know how to lift the burden off your shoulders,” the dog said.
“You all
know that my large portion of land.”
“Yes we
know,” they agreed.
“I want
to farm on it this season but the problem is that I don’t know any animal I
will pay to cultivate it. As you know, it has been abandoned for a long time
and so the work to be done is much. Also if it is not done now, it won’t be
done till another season which is a long time to wait. You also know that the
animal that would have cultivated it for me is the baboon who unfortunately
died last season when a tree branch fell on him.”
The
advisers spoke among themselves, and then the cat got up to speak on behalf of
the others.
(SOME PAGES WERE SKIPPED)
Immediately
the king started leaving, the lizard and the frog began the work but when the
frog saw that the king had gone out of sight, he dropped his tools and lay
down.
“The king is not wise,” he said and laughed. “He is not even here to see what we are doing. How will he know the hardest worker?”
“Stop,”
the lizard said. “Don’t you know that trees and grasses have ears and hidden
eyes?”
“What a
lie.”
“Just
come and do your work.”
The frog
did not reply but closed his eyes. The lizard ignored him and continued working
while the frog lay down lazily.
It
is said that what makes the he-goat smell
comes from inside so it was obvious the frog’s laziness couldn’t be changed
even by motivation.
“Why
don’t you come and work,” the lizard said after working for a while.
“Work on,
I am coming,” was the frog’s reply but there was nothing to show that he was
actually coming.
The
lizard ignored him and continued working harder than he would have in order to
cover up for both of them. By the end of that day, the lizard did reasonable
work and they went home. The bird that had been on a tree unnoticed all the
while flew to the palace and told the king all he saw and heard.
The
lizard was not at all angry with the frog. He just had to face his own destiny
and hoped that he would one day be rewarded for his hard work and diligence. He
still shared his meals with the frog. The frog thought he was being wise.
Hence, his conscience did not prick him at all.
The next
day, they went to the farm to continue from where the lizard had stopped the
previous day. The frog did very little work and went to his usual position to
rest. After working for some time, the lizard would call out to him, “You have
rested enough. Why not come and continue.”
“Work on,
I am coming,” the frog always replied.
The
lizard continued working till he finished the work for that day. This happened
everyday till the cultivation was almost complete. The spy-bird always gave the
king feedback on what happened in the farm each day.
The
day the work was to end, the king went to the farmland secretly and watched the
work in progress. He…
(SOME PAGES WERE SKIPPED)
It is said that a man who pays respect to the great paves way for his own greatness. It
is also said that a sandy hand causes an
oily mouth and every honest work
brings reward finally, though it may tarry.
That
is why till this day, the lizard has a long, beautiful tail and can be seen
even in palaces while the frog is tailless and remains in muddy waters. It is
used as a proverb today that laziness and
procrastination (I am coming) made the frog tailless.
MORAL OF THE STORY
·
Don’t be lazy
·
Don’t procrastinate.
·
Whatever your parents, teachers or seniors tell you to do, do it.
·
Be a good boy or girl whether people are there or not.
·
Don’t speak ill of people in their absence.
·
Don’t do eye service. Always work like someone is watching you.
·
Know that there is a reward for hard work
ACTIVITY
·
Pick out words or phrases you don’t know their meanings and write them
down
·
Use a dictionary to check their meanings or ask your parents, teachers or
elder ones and write them down.
·
Memorize them.
·
Memorize all the lessons you learnt from the story.
·
Try and pick out the proverbs and adages used in the tale
……TO
CONTINUE READING, GET THE FULL BOOK. IF YOU WANT THE HARDCOPY, CALL
+2348051961924, +2348176989977. TO GET THE MOBILE VERSION, CLICK http://selar.co/vfwp
Tale 2
THE DOG’S BETRAYAL
Long time
ago in the land of the animals, there was an atmosphere of friendship. They
were all fond of each other and never thought of how to hurt each other….
(SOME PAGES WERE SKIPPED)
“I thank
you all for your cooperation in driving away the animal on two legs,” the lion
said. “Now we are free! Freedom for one!”
“Freedom
for all!” they responded.
They
were very excited. They couldn’t believe that their problem and fears were
over.
“We are
going to have seven days of celebration,” the lion said.
“Yes,”
the animals agreed in unison.
“But
before we start, where are his weapons?” he asked.
“We will
bring them in a moment,” the antelope said.
“Hurry so
they will be destroyed and we can start our feast of victory.”
The
antelope and the cheetah went off with pride to the place where they had hidden
the weapons. As they went they said to themselves, “The animals will be proud
of us.” They walked to the place and there they received the shock of their
lives. The weapons were not there! They
searched everywhere around there but didn’t see any sign of the weapons, so
they came back downcast and narrated what happened.
“You mean
someone took them while we were here?” the lion asked in rage.
When
the news got to every animal, they were very angry and desperate to find the
culprit. They knew that it was one of them who had done it. They did head count
and it was then that they discovered that the dog was not in their midst. The
cat was told to go together with the monkey in search of the dog. They did so
quietly so as to catch the dog in any act he was up to. The cat went on the
ground while the monkey went from tree to tree.
When
they got to the outskirts of the forest, to their surprise, they saw the dog
with the weapons. They wanted to go and take the weapons from him when
suddenly, the hunter emerged from the bush and collected the weapons from the
dog. The monkey and the cat didn’t wait to know what would happen next. They
went off into the forest to report their finding. When the animals heard what
had happened, they wanted to go and deal with the dog severely but they
remembered that the hunter had his weapons back and fear gripped them again. So
they decided to stay and wait if the dog would come to them.
They
didn’t wait long before the dog came back. He wanted to sneak into their midst
without them knowing but it would not happen. As he came into the open, he met
diverse pairs of eyes all on him. He didn’t need to be told that the game was
up so he took to his heels with angry animals in hot pursuit. They couldn’t
catch him but they chased him out of the forest and returned. The dog ran to
the hunter’s house.
The
animals decided that the dog would no longer live in the forest anymore. This
brought some form of division because the dog had some friends in the forest.
They thought the decision was too harsh. They decided to follow the dog to the
hunter’s house while the rest remained in the forest.
When
the dog learnt of the decision, he knew he had been foolish in his action. He
could never go back to the forest where he was free to do whatever he wanted
and eat whatever he wanted. In his new home, he only ate what was given to him
and most times, a rope was tied round his neck. The hunter also used him
against the forest animals by always taking him while hunting to show him the
hiding places of the animals. Betrayal sent him out of his comfort into
bondage. He forgot that whoever makes
trouble for others also makes for himself.
That
is why the dog and some other animals live in man’s house rather than in the
forest to this day.
MORAL OF THE STORY
·
Don’t betray your family and friends
·
Protect your family and friends no matter what
·
Don’t speak bad of your family and friends
·
Don’t talk to strangers
·
Don’t follow strangers
·
Always be a good boy or girl whether people are watching you or not.
·
Don’t be a trouble maker
·
Know that there is a reward for everything you do, whether good or bad.
ACTIVITY
·
Pick out words or phrases you don’t know their meanings and write them
down
·
Use a dictionary to check their meanings or ask your parents, teachers or
elder ones and write them down.
·
Memorize them.
·
Memorize all the lessons you learnt from the story.
·
Try and pick out the proverbs and adages used in the tale
……TO
CONTINUE READING, GET THE FULL BOOK. IF YOU WANT THE HARDCOPY, CALL
+2348051961924, +2348176989977. TO GET THE MOBILE VERSION, CLICK http://selar.co/vfwp
Tale
3
THE LEOPARD’S SPOTS
Once upon
a time, there was a leopard, well known for his bad behaviour. There was no
rule in the great forest which he did not break. He was also a dreaded thief.
It was so bad that even his relations were not spared. This was a very serious
offence, for no one was to steal from his relatives but ‘could steal’ from
others, ‘if he must’. The leopard always went against the law.
He
was a strong animal and that gave him the boldness to do what he was doing. No
other animal dared challenge him physically because of his strength. As a
result, almost all the animals feared him.
The
leopard had no wife and children because no elderly animal agreed to give their
daughter to him in marriage. He could not take any by force for it would make
the elderly ones match full force against him and probably bring him to the end
of his stay in the forest. He enjoyed his life as it was in spite of what the
others felt and said.
The
leopard was also hard hearted. He wounded any small animal that he came across.
Seeing the animals suffer made him happy. Such an evil feeling.
The Lion,
who was the king of the forest, called him to order on many occasions but all
to no avail. So the lion left him but promised him that his cup will soon be
filled and he would face the consequences of his bad behaviour.
One
day, as the leopard was going from one part of the forest inflicting pain on
any small animal that came his way, he saw a rat resting under a tree. The rat
did not see him coming because his eyes were closed. The leopard crept slowly,
hiding behind trees as he approached. He eventually came near the rat. The rat
was woken up by a noise near him. He opened his eyes only to look into the eyes
of the leopard. He was so frightened that he shook. He knew what was about to
happen to him.
“You
cannot escape from me,” the leopard said, laughing sinisterly.
“Pl..pl..eee…please don’t hurt me,” begged the rat. “I…I…did not do
anything.”
“I don’t
care whether you did anything or not.”
“Please
spare me. Oh my parents told me not to leave the house,” the rat cried.
“Is that
so? Tell me why I should not hurt you.”
“I could
be of help to you someday. You know what they say that one good turn deserves another.”
“No you
can’t do anything for me so I will hurt you.”
The
leopard advanced menacingly. The rat retreated still in fear.
“No no no
don’t please,” he begged.
The
leopard held the rat who was shivering like a dry leaf in harmattan. He looked
at the rat for a while and then he said something the rat never thought he
would.
(SOME PAGES WERE SKIPPED)
From that day, he had spots on his body and this
has always been the case with every leopard.
MORAL OF THE
STORY
·
Don’t have bad
behavior
·
Be a good boy
or girl whether people are there or not.
·
Always listen
to your parents, teachers, and senior ones
·
Don’t go
outside alone
·
Don’t steal
·
Don’t be a
bully
·
Be kind to
people always
·
Know that
there is a reward for everything you do.
ACTIVITY
·
Pick out words
or phrases you don’t know their meanings and write them down
·
Use a
dictionary to check their meanings or ask your parents, teachers or elder ones
and write them down.
·
Memorize them.
·
Memorize all
the lessons you learnt from the story.
·
Try and pick
out the proverbs and adages used in the tale
……TO
CONTINUE READING, GET THE FULL BOOK. IF YOU WANT THE HARDCOPY, CALL
+2348051961924, +2348176989977. TO GET THE MOBILE VERSION, CLICK http://selar.co/vfwp
Tale
4
THE NOTORIOUS CHICK
Long ago
in the land of the animals, there lived a chick who was very stubborn and
disobedient. The things he was told to do, he did not do and the things he was
told not to do, he did. His parents were always upset about this.
“What has
our son turned into?” his mother always asked.
“Maybe
you should ask him what his problem is because I don’t understand him anymore,”
his father always replied.
“I think
he ate the leave from that tree that makes people behave badly.”
“Maybe.”
“We have
to do something about this.”
“Something like what?”
“I don’t
know. Anything we can.”
Their
conversations about their son always ended unhappily. They tried all they
could, all to no avail. The chick did not stop behaving badly. He kept enjoying
himself while causing others sadness.
As
it is said that birds of the same feather flock together, his friends were also
like him. They also brought headaches to their parents but not as much as the
chick did his.
They
went about playing dangerous pranks on the animals, enjoying their expensive
jokes while the victims cursed and rained abuses at them, threatening to get
back at them. Some victims of their mischief never attempted going after them
because it would victimize them the more. The chick and his bad friends always
planned their acts well to bring the mischief in progression so that the
angrier the victim became, the more he became a victim. Some who knew this just
ignored them and were grateful if they left after their first act. Others who
were easily carried away by anger always forgot the result and just went ahead
to create more problem for themselves. The chick and group liked those who led
them on.
Once, the chick and friends went about breaking
every pot they saw in compounds.
(SOME PAGES WERE SKIPPED)
This
goes on to confirm what is said that he
who brings home an ant-infested faggot should not grumble when lizards pay him
a visit.
MORAL OF THE STORY
·
Don’t keep bad friends.
·
Always obey your parents, teachers and seniors.
·
Don’t be a trouble maker.
·
Don’t take what does not belong to you.
·
Be a good boy or girl whether people are there or not.
·
Know that there is a reward for everything you do
ACTIVITY
·
Pick out words or phrases you don’t know their meanings and write them
down
·
Use a dictionary to check their meanings or ask your parents, teachers or
elder ones and write them down.
·
Memorize them.
·
Memorize all the lessons you learnt from the story.
·
Try and pick out the proverbs and adages used in the tale
……TO
CONTINUE READING, GET THE FULL BOOK. IF YOU WANT THE HARDCOPY, CALL
+2348051961924, +2348176989977. TO GET THE MOBILE VERSION, CLICK http://selar.co/vfwp
Tale 5
THE FOX’S ENMITY WITH THE HEN
Long time
ago in the land of the animals, the hen and the fox were very good friends.
Their friendship was obvious to other animals. They were so close that where
you saw one, you would surely see the other. They ate together, played together
and did chores together. It made them live close to each other. They lived in
two different cottages built by both of them. When they were building, they
gathered sticks and other materials they needed until they had the desired
amount. After building the walls, the fox left the roofing for the hen who was
the right one for it because she could fly and the fox could not. Thus they
finished building their two cottages side by side. They cooked in turns for
both of them, the hen taking one day and the fox taking the following day.
They also
saved each other in times of trouble. There was a day the hen was being chased
by a snake and she ran towards her house. The snake was big and wanted to
swallow her. She screamed for help but the snake didn’t stop chasing her. When
the fox heard her cry for help, he ran out. He saw the snake still chasing the
hen and he immediately charged at the snake. It sensed danger and went away.
“Thank
you for saving me,” the hen said when the snake had gone.
“Don’t
mention,” the fox replied. “What are friends for?”
On
another day, the fox came back limping and told the hen that he had fallen into
a covered pit and had badly injured himself. It was not difficult to see as he
had bruises and was weak. The hen immediately started taking care of him until
he was completely well. He got better fast because of the hen’s care.
Those
are few instances of how they cared for each other.
Their
friendship was meant to have lasted till this day if not for something that
happened that turned them to bitter enemies.
In
that land, there was…
(SOME PAGES WERE SKIPPED)
When the
fox left, the hen came down from the tree and fled to a part of the land far
away from where the fox lived.
The
fox should have known that it is said that if
a cunning man dies, a cunning man buries him.
Anyway,
the fox kept his vow and kills fowls to this day. That was how the sweet
friendship turned to bitter enmity.
MORAL OF THE STORY
·
Don’t revenge. If someone does something wrong, always report to your
parents, teachers and older ones.
·
Don’t be selfish. Always share whatever you have with those around you.
·
Be careful who you make friends with.
·
Be a good boy or girl whether people are there or not.
ACTIVITY
·
Pick out words or phrases you don’t know their meanings and write them
down
·
Use a dictionary to check their meanings or ask your parents, teachers or
elder ones and write them down.
·
Memorize them.
·
Memorize all the lessons you learnt from the story.
·
Try and pick out the proverbs and adages used in the tale
……TO
CONTINUE READING, GET THE FULL BOOK. IF YOU WANT THE HARDCOPY, CALL
+2348051961924, +2348176989977. TO GET THE MOBILE VERSION, CLICK http://selar.co/vfwp
Tale
6
THE CHARISMATIC LIZARD
Long time
ago in the land of the animals, there lived a lizard who was well known for
something that had earned him fame. It was a natural endowment and no animal
doubted it. It was a charisma that no other animal possessed. He was an orator.
He was intelligent and blended his speeches with wisdom. He also had a good
sense of humour. Animals who tried to emulate or rival him ended up disgracing
themselves because they never did half as good as he.
One
day, some of the animals came and asked him, “How did you get this gift of
oratory?”
“Well,”
he began. “I would say the Creator gave it to me,”
They got
excited.
“How can
we get the creator to do the same for us?”
“As the
Creator has given me this gift, so has He given each and every one of you your
own special gifts. Discover and develop them,” he advised.
They
were downcast due to his reply. They expected him to give them procedures to
oratory but it was not the case. The lizard saw that they had not understood
him, so he went ahead to explain further.
“You
see,” he said. “Every animal has a certain capability which the Creator put in
him. There is always something one animal can do that others cannot do. This
makes every animal peculiar and different from the others.”
“So what
should we do?” they asked.
“It is
now in your hands to discover these gifts and develop them.”
“How can
we discover them?”
“Each of
you should look for something you can do very well and no other animal can do
as good as you. That is, something that if you are not around, it will not be
done because of how well you do it.”
“Now we
understand,” they said, their faces beaming with smiles.
They
went home and soon were known for something spectacular, yet their fame was not
as that of the lizard.
His
name was known throughout the land as that of the king. Whenever a spokesman
was needed to speak on behalf of the animals, the lizard was always unanimously
called to do the work. He always led any emissary and spoke for the land at any
place. Whenever he intervened in any misunderstanding, it always ended in
understanding and happiness. He put smiles on many faces by his speeches. He
was always the master of ceremony in many important occasions. The animals were
always delighted to attend any ceremony if they knew he would speak.
This
oratory earned him a gigantic building, friends, fans and inevitably; enemies
who were envious of his achievements and fame.
One
of those envious of the lizard was the cockroach. They were the greatest of
enemies. Infact, their enmity started from childhood. They hated themselves so
much that they never came close to each other. Whenever they met along a path,
they would each shift to the opposite ends of the path and thus create a gap
between them. They would pass cursing and spitting.
The cause of enmity could be traced back to
(SOME PAGES WERE SKIPPED)
That is why to this day, the lizard makes no oral
sound, nods his head, swallows food, and the male has a red head.
MORAL OF THE STORY
·
Choose your friends
wisely.
·
Whenever your parents or teachers tell you not to follow a particular
friend, listen to them.
·
Whatever your parents, teachers or seniors tell you to do, do it.
·
Don’t fight or quarrel; instead report to your parents or teachers.
·
Be a good boy or girl whether people are there or not.
·
Discover your talent and start developing it.
·
Whatever you can do, do it very well.
·
Know that there is a reward for doing good and working hard.
ACTIVITY
·
Pick out words or phrases you don’t know their meanings and write them down
·
Use a dictionary to check their meanings or ask your parents, teachers or
elder ones and write them down.
·
Memorize them.
·
Memorize all the lessons you learnt from the story.
·
Try and pick out the proverbs and adages used in the tale
……TO
CONTINUE READING, GET THE FULL BOOK. IF YOU WANT THE HARDCOPY, CALL
+2348051961924, +2348176989977. TO GET THE MOBILE VERSION, CLICK http://selar.co/vfwp
Tale 7
THE GORILLA’S UGLINESS
Long ago,
in the land of the animals, the gorilla was a very handsome animal. He was so
handsome that all the animals wanted to be his friends. His beauty was
incomparable to the most beautiful animal we see today.
There
was once a beauty contest among all the animals. At the end, there was none
compared with him even though the zebra came close. He was crowned the most
beautiful animal in the land.
As a
result, the gorilla became arrogant. He chose his friends from animals of his
class. He refused to talk to other animals. Even when they greeted him or
talked to him, he would ignore them. He was advised by his friends against
being arrogant.
“Pride goes before a fall,” they said to
him but he did not listen. It was as though they were spurring him on. The more
they said it, the more arrogant he became.
One
day, as he was walking along a path, he overheard some birds talking about a
beauty contest. He hid himself to eavesdrop; he wanted to hear everything in
detail without being seen.
“There
would be a contest in the land of the spirits,” one said.
“What
type of contest are you talking about?” the others asked.
“To know
the finest spirit.”
“Is that
so? When will it be?”
“In nine
days time.”
“How did
you get to know all these?”
“I
overheard two spirits talking about it.”
“And what
did you go there to do?”
“To get
medicine for my weak feathers.”
“Well, it
is their business not ours,” they said as they flew away together.
When
they had gone, the gorilla came out from where he was hiding and went home. He
started preparing for the contest. His friends noticed his preparation and
change of attitude. They asked him why he was so excited and where he was
preparing to go. He was reluctant at first but when they persisted, he told
them. They were shocked and began trying to talk him out of his plans. They
advised him all they could, adding that a
fly that does not listen to advice follows the corpse into the grave, but
he refused to heed their warning. Since there was nothing else to do, they left
him to his fate.
The next day, the gorilla began his journey to
the land of the spirits. It took
(SOME PAGES WERE SKIPPED)
That is why our people say that he whose palm kernel was cracked by a
benevolent spirit should not forget to be humble. And they also say that pride goes before a fall.
Thus,
the gorilla became one of the ugliest and tailless animals that exist to this
day.
MORAL OF THE STORY
·
Don’t be arrogant.
·
Always be humble.
·
When you do something wrong, always say “I am sorry”
·
Whatever your parents or teachers tell you to do, do it.
·
Be a good boy or girl whether people are seeing you or not.
·
Know that there is always a reward for being humble.
ACTIVITY
·
Pick out words or phrases you don’t know their meanings and write them
down
·
Use a dictionary to check their meanings or ask your parents, teachers or
elder ones and write them down.
·
Memorize them.
·
Memorize all the lessons you learnt from the story.
·
Try and pick out the proverbs and adages used in the tale
……TO
CONTINUE READING, GET THE FULL BOOK. IF YOU WANT THE HARDCOPY, CALL
+2348051961924, +2348176989977. TO GET THE MOBILE VERSION, CLICK http://selar.co/vfwp
Tale 8
THE CHAMELEON’S CAMOUFLAGE
Long time
ago in the land of the animal, there was a chameleon who lived with his old
mother in a hut. The hut was built by his father who was very hardworking and
humble when he was alive. He did not boast about his wealth even though he was
one of the well-to-do animals in his time.
His hut was one of the finest and strongest.
The
chameleon grew up the opposite of his father. He was very lazy and prided in
his father’s wealth. He could neither farm nor do simple things he was supposed
to do.
This
worried his father when he was alive. He
tried all he could to make him change. Many times, his father talked to him
about his behavior and even beat him up sometimes but it did not have the
effect he expected. The chameleon rather went about with never-do-wells like
him, looking for trouble.
Once,
he broke the lizard’s clay pot which was left outside so that the rain water
inside it will separate from the dirt. The act was deliberate and was
spearheaded by the chameleon in the company of his friends. They thought the
lizard was not at home and so would not know who did it on returning but they
were unlucky because he came out from his backyard immediately he heard the
sound of a broken pot. When they saw him, they took to their heels. The lizard
saw what they had done and gave them a hot chase. The chameleon being the
laziest and weakest could not run as fast as his mates.
“Wait for
me,” he called out to them as they ran.
“No we
can’t,” they replied increasing their speed. “You know what will happen if he catches
us. Run faster,”
On looking back, he saw that the lizard had
already closed in on him. He did not see
(SOME PAGES WERE SKIPPED)
He
didn’t know that a person who must
swallow an udala seed should check if his anus is big enough to pass it out, and so he refused to cut his cloth according to his size and
material.
That
is why the chameleon walks gently and changes his skin colour to match with his
environment so as not to attract the attention of his creditors.
MORAL OF THE STORY
·
Be hardworking
·
Be humble
·
Don’t spend more than what you have
·
Don’t desire what your parents cannot give you
·
Be contented with whatever your parents provide for you.
·
Don’t compare yourself with other kids.
·
Always obey your parents and teachers.
·
Be a good boy or girl wherever you are
·
Know that there is reward for humility, hard work and contentment.
ACTIVITY
·
Pick out words or phrases you don’t know their meanings and write them
down
·
Use a dictionary to check their meanings or ask your parents, teachers or
elder ones and write them down.
·
Memorize them.
·
Memorize all the lessons you learnt from the story.
·
Try and pick out the proverbs and adages used in the tale
……TO
CONTINUE READING, GET THE FULL BOOK. IF YOU WANT THE HARDCOPY, CALL
+2348051961924, +2348176989977. TO GET THE MOBILE VERSION, CLICK http://selar.co/vfwp
Tale 9
THE BAT
Long time
ago, in the land of the animals, there lived a bat who was notorious for his
bad behavior and two-sidedness. One could never tell what he would do and how
he would do it in any given situation. He also led a very quarrelsome life and
was a trouble maker. He continued in them because he was a good fighter and so
was able to defeat those who fought him.
Once,
he almost beat an animal to death. There was also a time some animals in the
land laid ambush against him in order to overpower and deal with him. When he
came close to their hide out, he sensed danger and became alert in readiness
for any surprise attack. Due to his sharp eyesight, he was able to see them. He
saw how many they were, where they were hiding and their attack positions. They
didn’t know that he had already seen them so they suddenly came out. It is said
that a sudden incident beats a brave man
but a brave man is known by his ability to handle sudden incidents. They
attacked him but because he was already prepared for them, he wounded some of
them. The rest took to their heels. He sustained some injuries as a result of
the attack and it took some days before he became well again.
The bat
was very lazy and yet very pompous. He had no farm of his own. He lived away
from the other animals in a hut which took him longer than usual to build. In
the course of building it, he dug a hole behind the house which was difficult
to notice. That was where he hid some of his things, mostly stolen items.
Due to the
fact that he was lazy and pompous, he had no means of livelihood but liked
‘living big’. This led him into stealing. He was so skillful that the animals
did not know he was the thief. They only knew that some of their things got
missing from time to time but couldn’t lay hold
(SOME PAGES WERE SKIPPED)
It is
said that he who troubles his own house
reaps the wind.
That
is why till this day, the bat flies in between the sky and the land, stands
upside down, is only seen at night and is almost blind.
MORAL OF THE STORY
·
Don’t take what does not belong to you.
·
Be contented with whatever your parents can afford to give you.
·
Don’t cause problem for your family and friends.
·
Do things that will be of benefit to others.
·
Whatever your parents, teachers or seniors tell you to do, do it.
·
Be a good boy or girl whether people are there or not.
·
Know that there is a reward for honesty and hard work
ACTIVITY
·
Pick out words or phrases you don’t know their meanings and write them
down
·
Use a dictionary to check their meanings or ask your parents, teachers or
elder ones and write them down.
·
Memorize them.
·
Memorize all the lessons you learnt from the story.
·
Try and pick out the proverbs and adages used in the tale
……TO
CONTINUE READING, GET THE FULL BOOK. IF YOU WANT THE HARDCOPY, CALL
+2348051961924, +2348176989977. TO GET THE MOBILE VERSION, CLICK http://selar.co/vfwp
·
To connect with the author,
o Facebook
-Nedu Isaac
o Twitter
- Chinedu Isaac
o LinkedIn-
Chinedu Isaac Ezeala
o
Call/Sms – +2348051961924,
o
Email - ezealachinedu@yahoo.com
·
To
read more writings by Chinedu Isaac Ezeala, check his blog; www.neduisaac.blogspot.com.
· To get a hardcopy of his first-published book, Against The Tide
Call/sms +2348051961924, +2348176989977
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