Once, in a quiet riverside village, there lived a maiden who rose early each morning to fetch water from the wide, flowing river. The river was the lifeblood of the people, shimmering under the sun and nourishing their fields and families. Women gathered there with calabashes and jars, their laughter and chatter carrying across the water. But one morning, when the young maiden knelt to dip her pot, the surface of the river split with sudden violence. A massive crocodile lunged forward, its jaws snapping, and before anyone could move, it dragged her beneath the waves.
The villagers screamed in horror, their cries echoing along the banks, but the water soon stilled, leaving only ripples behind. The maiden was gone.
Beneath the surface, she found herself alive, though trembling with fear. The crocodile carried her deep into its watery world, far from light. In a strange and hidden palace beneath the river, the beast revealed his desire: she was to become his bride. He promised her treasures of the deep, shining shells, ornaments of bone, and endless wealth, if only she would remain at his side.
But though the river palace gleamed, the maiden’s heart was heavy. She thought of her mother waiting by the fire, her friends calling her name, and the village life she had always known. She longed not for riches but for freedom and the warmth of her people.
Her sorrow gave birth to a song. Rising through the bubbles and currents, her voice reached the fishermen casting their nets above:
“Tell my mother I am not dead,
I live below in the water’s bed.”
The fishermen froze, their nets hanging half-cast. They strained their ears, and again the melody floated upward. Recognizing her voice, they hurried back to the village and carried the message to her mother. Grief and determination swept through the people. They resolved to rescue the maiden, no matter the danger.
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Together, the villagers devised a plan. With strong nets and sharpened spears, they returned to the riverbank. The fishermen sang her song back into the waters, drawing the crocodile and his captive toward the surface. When the beast rose, thinking himself safe and mighty, the nets fell upon him. The crocodile thrashed and snapped, its tail churning waves, but the villagers held fast, tightening the cords until it could not escape.
With a cry, they dragged the beast ashore. The maiden stumbled free, breathless and weeping, while the people raised their spears and slew the crocodile. The river, once a place of sorrow, became a place of triumph.
From that day onward, whenever the women of that village draw water, they softly sing the maiden’s song. It is not only a memory of her ordeal but a reminder that the bonds of love and community are stronger than promises of wealth in captivity.
Moral Lesson
This tale teaches that true wealth lies not in treasures or empty promises but in the freedom to live among one’s people. The maiden rejected the crocodile’s glittering gifts because they could never replace belonging, love, and community.
It also warns against those who lure others with false promises, for even the most beautiful offers are worthless if they rob us of freedom. To remain true to one’s roots and resist deceit is the surest path to survival.
Knowledge Check
1. Who captured the maiden at the river?
A crocodile seized her and carried her beneath the waves.
2. What did the crocodile promise her if she stayed?
He offered wealth and treasures of the deep in exchange for her remaining his bride.
3. How did the maiden communicate with her people?
She sang a song that rose through the water to the fishermen above.
4. What did the villagers use to trap the crocodile?
They used strong nets and spears to capture and kill the beast.
5. What happened to the maiden after the rescue?
She was freed from the crocodile and returned to her people.
6. Why do women still sing her song at the river?
They sing it to honor her memory and as a reminder of freedom and belonging.
Source: Sudanese folktale, collected among the Shilluk people by Frobenius, 1923.
