Once upon a time, in the deep forests of the Congo, there lived a graceful Gazelle who longed to find a wife. His heart was restless, and so he set out on a journey, his slender legs carrying him swiftly through the tall grass and shaded paths. After some time, he came upon a young woman of striking beauty. Her skin glowed in the sunlight, and she carried herself with dignity. The Gazelle, parched from his travels, paused and asked politely, “Miss, have you any water to spare? I am very thirsty.”
The girl smiled kindly. From her calabash, richly decorated with rows of shining brass nails, she poured cool water and offered it to him. The Gazelle drank eagerly, refreshed by both the water and the girl’s beauty. Returning the calabash, he said with admiration, “This water is as sweet as its bearer is lovely.”
Moved by her kindness, he asked gently if she was married. When she replied that she was not, the Gazelle’s heart leapt. “Will you marry me?” he asked.
The girl hesitated and answered, “I do not know. I must ask my mother.”
Together they went to seek the mother’s consent. The woman listened carefully, then gave her condition. “If you wish to marry my daughter, you must first bring me the dried flesh of every animal and bird in the forest.”
READ: How a Child Saved His Mother’s Life: A Bakongo Folktale From DR Congo.
The task seemed impossible. The Gazelle was troubled, yet he did not give up. “Very well,” he said with quiet determination. “I will do it.”
That night he thought deeply. At last, he found a way. He prepared a shell filled with powerful medicines and charms, creating a fetish of great strength. With this, he set out into the forest.
Not long after, a Dove approached him. “Behold,” said the Dove, “I fired at ten animals but could not strike down a single one. I hear you have a hunting fetish. Teach me how to use it.”
The Gazelle replied smoothly, “Indeed, I have such a fetish. But before you can learn it, you must first be killed, roasted, and dried. Afterward, I shall restore you to life and teach you.”
The Dove, blinded by desire for power, agreed. Thus, the Gazelle killed, roasted, and dried the Dove, placing the meat into his store as the first part of his dowry.
Soon after, an Antelope appeared, also desperate to learn the fetish. The Gazelle repeated his condition, and the Antelope, eager to gain skill, agreed as well. The Gazelle killed and dried him, adding to his store.
“Ah,” thought the Gazelle, “these creatures are so foolish that they will sacrifice anything for the promise of power. With their ignorance, I will succeed.”
He decided to try his trick on larger beasts. Soon he met a great Buffalo. The Gazelle offered him the same bargain: to be killed, roasted, and dried so that afterward he could return to life and learn the fetish.
The Buffalo, proud and trusting, agreed, saying, “I am too large for your knife.” Yet when the blade pierced his hide, he cried, “Stop! Stop!” But the Gazelle pressed forward until the Buffalo was dead. The Gazelle dried the meat and stored it away.
One by one, the great animals of the forest fell to the Gazelle’s cunning. The Lion, the Leopard, the Elephant, and countless others, each believed his clever lies, and each perished by his hand. His storeroom grew full of dried flesh, every beast of the forest represented there.
At last, he returned to the girl’s mother, bowing respectfully. “Honoured mother,” he said, “forgive me for the delay. You know how slow and difficult hunting can be. Sometimes a hunter shoots and misses. Yet now, I have brought you the meat you required.”
The mother examined the store of dried flesh. Satisfied, she nodded and said, “You have fulfilled my command. Take my daughter as your wife.”
And so, the Gazelle’s cleverness and determination overcame an impossible task, and he won the bride he desired.
Moral Lesson
This folktale teaches the value of determination and cunning in the face of difficult challenges. The Gazelle achieved what seemed impossible by relying on wit and persistence, not brute strength. Yet, it also warns against blind ambition and foolish trust. The Dove, the Antelope, and the other animals allowed their greed for power to blind them to danger, and they paid the price.
The story reminds us that wisdom is not only about seeking opportunity but also about knowing when to be cautious. Ambition without discernment can lead to ruin, while patience, strategy, and cleverness can open doors even to the seemingly unattainable.
Knowledge Check
Q1: Who is the main character in this Congolese folktale?
A: The Gazelle.
Q2: What condition did the girl’s mother set for the Gazelle to marry her daughter?
A: He must bring the dried flesh of every animal and bird in the forest.
Q3: How did the Gazelle trick the Dove and the Antelope?
A: He convinced them to be killed, roasted, and dried by promising to restore them to life and teach them a hunting fetish.
Q4: What lesson does the downfall of the Buffalo, Lion, and others teach?
A: Blind ambition and gullibility can lead to destruction.
Q5: What does the story highlight about intelligence versus strength?
A: Intelligence and cunning can succeed where strength alone would fail.
Q6: Where does this folktale originate?
A: From the Democratic Republic of Congo, collected by John H. Weeks.
Source: A Congolese folktale, Democratic Republic of Congo, collected in John H. Weeks’ Congo Life and Folklore (1911).
