In the land of Dowra in Kano state lived a donkey who was very unhappy because he had to work hard from sunrise to sunset. He never had time to play or to lie in comfort in the sun like his friends or like me (the cricket).
It isn't the hard work I mind so much, he said to me one day. It's the time it takes to do everything. As soon as I finish one piece of work my master finds me something else he wants me to carry or pull. I am getting to dislike my life. I never have time to play. He said to me.
Then I asked him: "why don't you sing while you work? then the load you carry would seem much lighter.
He aswered and said "that's easier said than done. Just because you sing so well, it doesn't mean to say everybody else can. You know what happens everytime I sing. My master gets so angry that he beats me without mercy!
"That's because you stand still in the middle of the road, and keep singing hee-haw for hours"
"But you sing for hours and nobody beats you"
"I don't stop still in the middle of the road"
Poor donkey, he was surprised by my explanation
"What is wrong with singing hee-haw?" he asked me.
"Well, it's not a very pleasing song, is it? And people don't like to hear the same thing over and over again." I said.
"oh, I see" said the donkey. "Can you teach me how to sing the same way as you do?"
I laughed and told him donkeys can't sing like crickets.
"why not?" he asked sadly.
I told him it just wouldn't because it's a family secret.
"Oh, I promise not to tell a single person about it if you teach me, please, mis cricket, please!"
"Okey!" I decided to tell him the secret and asked him not to tell any body about it. He promised and the secret was "you mustn't eat or drink anything but dew. Dew as you know is the water that lies on the grass in the early morning. Then you will be able to sing like me!"
"How can I live on nothing but dew?" he asked.
"There you are!" I should never have told you" I said to him. Well donkey started feeding and nothing but dew,. After a few days he felt very weak and tried to sing. His voice still came out as hee-haw but it was much softer and higher than before, it was almost as high as mine. The donkey was pleased. He resolved never to eat grass again, but when he tried to sing there came no voice and soon afterwards the poor donkey died.
That is the reason why donkeys go mad when they hear we, the cricket sing. They kick and shout hee-haw, hee-haw. They stamp around looking for us trying to step on us. But we always are able to escape.
Good-night diary.
No comments:
Post a Comment