GROUPE DE RECHERCHE SUR LES SAVOIRS TRADITIONNELS

the tale of the month

©GREST 2006
"Let us keep on the memory of the past to build the future..."
Samedi 19 Avril 2025

We suggest you today to discover an example of tale (The promise and Why has the earthworm no back?) published in the monthly bulletin of the GREST. This monthly bulletin is available, under paper (format), in Abidjan ( cost 300F CFA ) and in Europe. It is also possible to subscribe to this bulletin. For further informations, thank you for contacting us.
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A TALE : THE PROMISE

A tale GWA ( M' Batto) - Retranscribed by Mrs Monnet Bernadette.
All rights reserved for any countries

It was the season of n’dabin. “Then n’dabin” is a delicious fruit, a sort of plum with brown, smooth and sweet flesh, which we collect in forest.
When it matures, the children and even the adults go to its picking by groups. On that day, a young band of the village, decided to offer n’dabin to their families.
On their road, a brook is there which blocks the road. The one who led the way said it
- Small river, lets I pass and on the return to my picking, I would offer you two fruits.
Small river faded and the child passed on dry-shod.
- Small river, lets I pass in my turn and I shall give you four n’dabin, said the second child.
Small river faded and the child passed on dry-shod.
- Small river, lets I pass also, and on the way back I shall give you a handle of n’dabin made the third.
The small river faded and the child passed on dry-shod.
And so, one after the other, all crossed on dry-shod the river on promise to offer who one, who two who a handle of n’dabin.
The last child promised as for him, to give all his gourd of fruits. Fearless, insane, unconscious promise.
In the evening, after a rather beautiful harvest, the children returned from the fields and did not delay meeting small river.
The first child said to the water way
- Small river, here is the two n’dabin that I had promised you.
He threw fruits in the water. Small river faded and the child passed on dry-shod. The second child says to it:
- Small river, here is the four n’dabin that I had promised you.
He threw fruits in the water, Small river faded and the child passed on dry-shod. The third child says to it:
- Small river, here is the handle of n’dabin that I had promised you; he threw fruits in the water. Small river faded and the child passed on dry-shod.
Each gave what he had promised and waters withdrew every time to leave them(her) the passage.
The turn of the last child came. He threw in the water a handle of n’dabin, the water did not move, he added some.
Small river stayed square there. He threw another handle, the brook did not withdraw.
The night fell slowly. On other bank his companions asked him to keep his promise and shouted him - Empty your gourd in the water - No, I collected my fruits for the house.
He refused to keep his promise. Finally, still throwing some fruits in the river, he committed to it.
Abruptly, the sky darkens and a first rainy drop fell, then the second, then the third.
On the other side, his friends exhorted him to knock down his gourd in the river, the child refused stubbornly and continued to forward.
But waters rose, rose. Soon they reached his knees, then his thighs, whereas he had begun singing:
- Thus throw all your fruits!
- No I picked them for the house.
And the water always rose. It reached his stomach. The child continued to move and to sing:
In front of the threat to see their companion gobbled up, the children at a run, were there to warn his parents. When these one arrived by the river, they perceived the gourd of their child floating on the water. It was also soon gobbled up. They resolved to empty the river to save their young and are thus mirrored in the task. The head of their son after a few moments appeared. Pressed to save him, the father seizes him hair and began firing at the head of the child. Hair stayed in his between hands and printed in his palms, the marks which henceforth every man carries in hands. The child disappeared for ever under waters.
The promise is a debt. Promise with good reason, without lightness what is possible for you to offer.

The coming tale : WHY HAS THE EARTHWORM NO BONE? To read very soon

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