TALES FROM AFRICA
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THE LION'S SHARE Once upon a time, in the land of the animals, there was severe famine. As a result, many animals were dying of hunger. Needing food, the lion, baboon and tortoise, one day, decided to go hunting. In the process, they killed a squirrel. At that point, the lion decided to move on in search of other animals. He asked baboon to share the squirrel’s meat into three. "Mr. Baboon! Have you shared the meat?" the lion asked, as he returned. "Yes! King of the forest," baboon replied. "Can I have my share?" the lion asked again. "Sure!" Baboon answered. "Here is yours, over there." Not satisfied with his share, the lion demanded to see the portions that baboon and tortoise had reserved for themselves. "So, you shared the meat equally among us! When did we start having equal rights?" the lion demanded to know from baboon. Before the latter could offer any answer, the lion jumped at him and clawed him to death. Then, Lion turned to Mr. Tortoise and asked him to re-share the meat among the two of them. In sharing it, the wily tortoise gave the lion a much bigger share. Satisfied with his share, he called tortoise by his pet name and asked: "Who taught you how to share meat?" Tortoise pointed to Baboon's carcass and said, "I thought you deserved a lion's share".
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About the Book
Tales from Africa, by Azubike Aliche, is a collection of eight folk tales. These stories capture the best in African mythology, philosophy and value system. They are adaptations of folk tales handed down from generations of Africans to entertain and educate the younger generation. Centered on animals, the stories teach about loyalty, valor, obedience, treachery and greed, among other virtues and vices. Since time immemorial, folk tales have been instruments of socialization in Africa. They are told as bedtime stories to children over fireplaces in the family hall. The are also told at village squares where children gather during moonlight for assorted entertainment and informal education. But these stories have messages for all kids that cut across geographical, racial and cultural boundaries. Indeed, for African American kids who want to know about Africa and their cultural heritage, these stories should prove invaluable. From the loyal dog to the wily tortoise; from the greedy lion to the fearless antelope and from the obedient only son to the once childless couple, curious and impressionable kids will have a lot in these stories to entertain them and task their imagination. To give them better context, the tales have been fortified with African proverbs and wise sayings.
About the Author
Born 40 years ago at Osusu, Isialangwa in Abia State of Nigeria, Azubike Aliche has lived much of his life in that country paying attention to Africa's social institutions and value system. He received formal education at Community School, Osusu, Macgregor Teachers College Afikpo and at the University of Lagos, all in Nigeria. He also received professional journalistic training in the United States. Mr. Aliche holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology and a Master's in Mass Communication, all of the University of Lagos. A widely traveled professional journalist, Mr. Aliche has worked for some of Nigeria's best newspaper houses, including The Guardian and Sunray groups. With hundreds of his works published by media organizations in Nigeria and the United States, the author has proved himself a prolific writer and public affairs commentator. He has also had stints in teaching at high school and college levels. In 1996, the Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists gave the Best Journalist in Rivers State award for 1995 to Mr. Aliche. In 1998 he received the Goldsmith Research Award of Harvard University's Joan Shorestein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy. The author currently lives in Blackwood, New Jersey, in the United States.