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September 17, 2003
Don't Fall Asleep!
In the west of Africa there is a hot, dry country called Burkina Faso. You can see it on a map if you look hard enough. In Burkina Faso lives a tribe of people called the Fulani. They keep cows, sheep and goats, and sometimes they have to travel around to find grass and water for their animals.
In one Fulani family, in a town called Aribinda, there were three sons: Abdullai, Moomooni and Ali. One evening, their father said to Abdullai and Moomooni: "Boys, tomorrow you must take the animals to Gorom-Gorom, your Uncle Abraham's village. I hear it has rained there and the grass is tall and green. If you walk well, the journey will take two days. And in the night, you will need to watch the animals, so whatever you do, don't fall asleep."
The next morning, Abdullai and Moomooni got up early. They were very excited. They had walked with the animals before, but never for more than one day. Abdullai took a bowl and a box of matches and put them in a goatskin bag. Moomooni found a tree and cut two good staffs. Then they went to the animal pen.
In the pen were two sheep, two goats, a cow and little Ali, their younger brother. He too was holding a staff and a small bag. "I want to come with you," he said.
"You can't," said Abdullai. "You are too small."
"You don't walk fast enough," said Moomooni.
"You would be scared in the night," said Abdullai.
"You must stay right here," said Moomooni.
The boys set off. Moomooni was in front with the cow. The sheep and the goats followed, trotting along happily. Abdullai walked at the back to make sure none of the animals got left behind.
They walked all day, stopping only at midday for a quick drink of cow's milk. By sunset they were ever so tired. They made a fire, milked the cow and goats, and sat down to keep watch over the animals.
"Whatever you do, don't fall asleep," their father had said.
Abdullai told Moomooni a long story about a camel thief.
Moomooni taught Abdullai a Frog Dance.
They drew pictures in the sand of people they knew.
They had a wrestling contest.
Finally they lay down and listened to the crickets chirping in the short grass. The animals were sleeping peacefully. "Whatever you do, don't fall asleep," said Abdullai, yawning.
"Of course not," murmured Moomooni.
* * *
Abdullai was woken by a flash of lightening. He jumped to his feet. It was pouring with rain, and goats and sheep were rushing about in panic, bleating like crazy. Baaaa! Baaaa! Baaaaaaaa!
He shook Moomooni - "Wake up! Rainstorm!"
The boys ran circles around the animals trying to keep them in one place. The lightening flashed and the thunder crashed. The boys were almost as frightened as the animals.
At last the rain stopped and the sun began to rise. Everyone huddled together - two wet sheep, two wet goats and two wet boys.
The cow was nowhere to be seen.
"I can't believe you fell asleep!" shouted Abdullai.
"I can't believe you fell asleep!" shouted Moomooni.
"What on earth do we do now?" shouted Abdullai.
They sat down on the sand, feeling sad.
Suddenly Moomooni caught sight of something in the distance. It was a cow. It was their cow! She was being led by a small boy. Moomooni rubbed his eyes. It couldn't be. It was!
It was little Ali.
"You followed us!" shouted Abdullai.
"You found the cow!" shouted Moomooni.
"Well done, Ali!" they both shouted together.
Moomooni milked the cow and gave the milk to Ali. Abdullai milked the goats and gave that milk to Ali, too. He was a hero.
The three boys walked all day and arrived in Gorom-Gorom in the afternoon. Their uncle and cousins were very pleased to see them. Uncle Abraham put the animals in a pen full of long, green grass, and gave the boys peanuts and mangoes to eat.
"Did you find it hard staying awake all night?" he asked them.
"Not really," said Ali with his mouth full.
Posted by sahelsteve at September 17, 2003 03:14 PM