Week 6: The Enchanted Fiddle (Storytelling)

Almost a year ago, I had left my home because it had run out of food. Now I was returning. I had spent the year with my cousin, Nia, who lived a few days walk North of where I had lived my whole life. The people in my home village had hunted out most of the animals and food had become hard to come by.

I had recently received news that everything was returning to normal, so I decided it was time to go home. I had worked hard for Nia in the last year, and she had given me food and shelter. I was perfectly satisfied with this arrangement, as Nia was not wealthy. However, before I left, she have me two gifts to return home with a bow and arrow, and a fiddle.

Now, Nia was her village’s healer/psychic. She was the only person for miles who could speak with the gods and bring magic into our world. Therefore, these gifts were not like their ordinary counterparts. The bow and arrows where enchanted so they wouldn't miss a shot. Any animal I shot with the arrow would go down. The fiddle was also very special. Anytime it was played, everyone around would have to dance to the music.

I was very excited for both gifts. With the bow and arrow, I would never go hungry. While the enchantment on the fiddle didn't excite me as much, I was already the best fiddler in the surrounding four villages. Because of this, a new fiddle always made me extremely happy.

I was nearly home, when I came across and old friend named Berko. He had been hunting a deer all day but couldn't catch it. I said I would help him, eager to try my new bow. I told Berko about the bow and arrow Nia had given me. He was very skeptical.

I don’t blame him, of course. I would be too if our roles were reversed. But it didn't matter. When I saw the deer, I notched an arrow and pulled back. Then I smoothly released, sending an arrow flying at the deer.  The arrow hit true. The animal immediately fell.

Berko looked between me and the fallen deer in shock. We had been a great distance away and I hadn’t taken the time to aim. He knew then that I told him the truth. Together, we walked over to the deer and began preparing to carry it back to our village.

I was feeling proud of my bow and so excited about how well it had worked. I glanced up at Berko, but he wasn’t paying me any mind. He was just staring at the bow. Normally this wouldn't bother me, but the way he stared made me nervous. While we finished up, I heard someone walking towards us.

I turned to see who it was. I heard Berko scamper behind me. I turned back and saw him holding the bow and arrow in his hand, looking at me victoriously. The person who was walking down the path towards us came into view. It was another of the villagers from my home, Desta.

I greeted her quickly before turning back to Berko. I told him to give me my bow back.

He glared at me then turned to Desta. He told her that the bow was his. He said I had become jealous and tried to steal it from him. Desta looked between us, not knowing whom to believe. Finally, she recommended we go to our village and let the village elders decide.

While I knew, Desta meant well. I was very unhappy with the entire situation now. First Berko stole from me and lied about my honor, now I have to go try to convince our village elders that the arrow and the bow was actually mine. These were the same village elders who caused me to leave so long ago because they had hunted all the animals, leaving none for us ordinary people.

Nevertheless, I went. The last thing I wanted was a scene my first day back.

We arrived to the village council a short time later. They told both me and Berko to tell our sides of the story. Berko went first. He told them the story that I had told him, making me seem like a liar or a copier when I tried to say that what he said was not true of him but of me. The council believed Berko.

I argued with them a couple minutes before seeing it was useless. They said that for my lies and thievery I would be killed. Then I had an idea. I pulled out my enchanted fiddle. I hadn't told anyone about this fiddle’s special properties, but everyone knew I played the fiddle beautifully.

I begged the council to let me play one last song before my death. They agreed.

I began playing slowly at first, to see if it worked. It did. Before I knew it, everyone was dancing and mumbling in confusion. Then I began to pick up the pace. They were all dancing wildly unable to stop. I kept going, determined to make them see their error.

They begged me to stop as their exhaustion overtook them. The head elder even offered to give me the village if only I stopped playing the fiddle.

I told him that wasn’t necessary. I didn’t want the village. I just wanted my peaceful life back, as well as my bow and arrow. They agreed and did what I asked. Then I thought of one more thing I wanted. 

I began playing slowly while they begged me to stop. I told them I would stop for good if Berko admitted what he did an apologized. He was furious, but he obliged quickly, as he was as exhausted as the rest of them.

I’ve never had to play that fiddle again because no one will ever forget the last time someone questioned my honor. 

"Goje" by Musicas Resonantes Wikimedia

Author's Note: The original story was called The Monkey's Fiddle. In the original story a monkey travels away after he runs out of food. When he leaves to return home, orang outang gives him an enchanted fiddle and bow. A wolf becomes jealous of his bow and steals it, claiming monkey stole it from him. When they talk to a jackal , she says they should go to the animal court. They do, and the court believes wolf. Because of this they sentence monkey to die. But monkey plays one last song on his fiddle, making them all dance. The then believe him and return his bow, and wolf admits his lies.

The main change I made to this story was making all of the animal characters humans. I thought that made the story more relatable, especially since it was dealing with tools that needed thumbs to use, like a bow and arrow.

Story source: South African Folk-Tales by James Honey (1910).

Week 6: South African Reading Diary

This week I read the South African Unit. Story source: South African Folk-Tales by James Honey (1910).

From the first half of the unit, my favorite stories were The Monkey's Fiddle,  and The World's Reward.

Many of the stories had very clever characters, which were made to look even more clever by foiling them with characters who didn't know what was really going on. This was especially true in the World's reward story. To start, I loved that all of these old animals united to find a better place in this world. Then, the way that they scared the thieves off so the animals could have the food and shelter was fun to read. I think if a third party was observing this story happening, they would be laughing hysterically.

I also liked how all of the animals coordinated to keep the thieves out once they were ready to sleep. They all had a part to play and were prepared to defend their area. All of that said, my favorite part of the story was when the thief who was attacked by all of the animals went back to his friends and told told of these tortures that people had put him through, not realizing it was actually a group of old animals.

(African bull)

The other story I thought was described very well and taught an important lesson. I could see this story being told to children to keep them from stealing. I like that the monkey was still humble, even when he had everyone at his control with the fiddle. When he kept playing and made everyone dance, the lion offered him the entire kingdom. The monkey refused the offer and just asked for his life and the return of his bow and arrow, as well as the wolf admitting he lied. I think that this has the best morals of any story in this first half. It also taught a practical lesson of justice not always being just or correct. I enjoyed this story a lot. 

(vervet monkey)

For the second half of the reading, my favorites were the White Man and the Snake, and the Judgement of the Baboon.

The White Man and the Snake was also a clever story that had morals enveloped in it. One of the things it reminded me of was the old saying, "Don't bite the hand that feeds you". When the snake was helped by the man and then began trying to bite him, It make the man regret what he did, and by the end of the story, refuse to help the snake again. 

It also would teach the lesson of not trusting everyone you meet. Just because you want to do the right thing, you shouldn't assume others will. In this case, both the snake and the hyena both wanted the man to be killed by the snake even though he helped her. Even though he did the right thing by helping her, they were willing to kill him for personal gain.I love how in most of the stories Jackals are very clever animals. I would love to know the cultural thinking behind this reoccuring theme. 

(Jackal)

I thought the Judgement of the Baboon was interesting because it set up a hierarchy of animals and elements. This set up would be used to explain why certain animals fought and why some natural elements like wood, fire, and water had extreme effects on each other. I thought the end was interesting how the baboon was kind of punished for his judgement, even thought the tailor was happy with the outcome. I wasn't expecting there to also be a punishment of getting the honor of only walking on two legs getting taken away from the monkey. 

(baboon pic by Jason Wharam)