A story
for you and your children.
If your children can read, let them read it themselves.:)
In the
forests of Western Africa live many wild animals and a variety of birds. Some
tribal villages lie on the edge of these forests.
A blind man
named Chinedu lived in one such village. Although he was blind, he was very
wise. He sat outside his house all day. Young and old from far and near came to
him for advice on various topics – which crop to plant, which girl to marry, and
so on. Chinedu always gave them good
advice.
People often
asked him,
“Chinedu, how are you so wise?”
The blind
man would reply,
“I can see
with my ears.”
Chinedu had
a young sister. She fell in love with a hunter from a neighbouring village.
They got married, and as was the tradition in their tribes, the hunter came to
live with his wife and her brother.
The hunter
would go hunting in the forest every day. Chinedu also wanted to go to the
forest. So every evening, when the hunter returned from the forest, Chinedu would
request him,
“May I
please come to the forest with you tomorrow?”
The hunter
would laugh and say,
“What use is
a blind man?”
The hunter
was a strong and healthy fellow and thought that blind people were of no use.
Yet, every
day when the hunter would return from the forest, Chinedu would plead,
“Please may
I come to the forest with you tomorrow?”
And every
day the hunter would laugh and say,
“What use is
a blind man in the forest?”
It continued
like this for many weeks.
Then a day
came when the hunter was in a very good mood. He came home and announced,
“Chinedu,
you can come with me to the forest tomorrow.”
Early the
next day, the hunter gathered his traps and tools and set off to the forest
with the blind man. He held Chinedu's hand because there were many turnings and
bumpy roots on the way.
After they
had gone a little distance, Chinedu said,
“Shh...there
is a lion there.”
Then he
added, “But he is fast asleep. He will not harm us.”
As they go
on their way, they see a sleeping lion.
The hunter
is puzzled.
He asked Chinedu,
“How did you
know that there was a lion?”
Chinedu replied,
“It is because
I see with my ears.”
They walked
on and reached a clearing in the forest.
Chinedu stopped
and said,
“Walk
slowly, there is an elephant there.”
Then he
added, “But he is enjoying a shower in the river. He will not come our way.”
They walked
on and find an elephant relaxing in the cool river.
The hunter
asked Chinedu,
“How did you
know that there was an elephant?”
Chinedu replied,
“It is because
I see with my ears.”
When they
come to the middle of the forest, the hunter set up his trap and guided Chinedu
to set up his. Then they returned to their village.
The next
day, Chinedu walked ahead of the hunter.
“I know my
way now” he said happily.
Chinedu did
not miss a single turning or stumble over any bumpy roots.
When they reached
the middle of the forest, the hunter noticed that a big colourful bird was
trapped in Chinedu’s trap. And a small brown bird was trapped in his own trap.
As he
loosened the traps, he thought – “If I give the small brown bird to this blind
man instead of the big colourful one, he will not know.”
So he gave
the small brown bird to Chinedu and kept the big colourful bird for himself.
As they
walked home, the hunter asked the blind man,
“Chinedu,
people say that you are wise. Then tell me this – why is there so much hatred
and anger in this world?”
Chinedu replied,
“It is
because the world is full of people like you who take what is not theirs or what is not
given to them.”
The hunter was
ashamed of himself. He took the small brown bird from Chinedu’s hands and gave
him the big colourful bird.
After
walking some distance, the hunter asked,
“Chinedu,
why is there still so much kindness and love in this world?”
Chinedu answered,
“It is
because there are people like you in this world who learn from their mistakes.”
After this
hunting trip, Chinedu continued to sit outside his house every day.
People would
ask him, “Chinedu, how are you so wise?”
Chinedu would
say, “It is because I see with my ears.”
The hunter
would then put his arm around the blind man’s shoulders and say, “And he
listens with his heart.”
(This
story is based on a story I had read from a book of folktales. Chinedu pricks
my conscience every time I am tempted to take what does not belong to me or
what is not given to me.)
