A long time ago, in a village resting at the edge of a wide and whispering forest, there lived two sisters whose lives could not have been more different. The elder sister was gentle and hardworking, her hands always busy with tasks to help her family and her heart content with what little she had. The younger sister, however, was restless and jealous, often measuring her worth against what others possessed and never satisfied with her lot. Though they lived under the same roof, the two carried within them very different spirits, one of gratitude, the other of envy.
One afternoon, the elder girl went into the forest to gather firewood and wild herbs. The day was bright, but the forest was dense, filled with the sound of cicadas and the rustling of leaves that seemed to speak in secret voices. As she wandered deeper than she had ever gone before, she noticed a large drum hanging from the branch of a towering tree. Its surface shimmered faintly as though polished by unseen hands, and its hide seemed to breathe with the rhythm of the forest itself.
Curiosity drew her closer. She reached out and, with a cautious hand, struck the drum. The sound it produced was unlike anything she had ever heard, a deep, rolling thunder followed by a gentle hum that seemed to echo beyond the trees. From the shadows, spirits began to emerge. They were neither frightening nor cruel, but luminous beings, their forms shifting like smoke yet glowing like fireflies. They surrounded her in silence, then one by one began to lay gifts at her feet. Baskets of food, gleaming cloth, and ornaments of beauty appeared as if conjured from the very air.
The girl, overwhelmed yet thankful, bowed to the spirits, whispering words of gratitude. She gathered some of the gifts and carried them back to her family. Her home, once modest, was now filled with abundance. The villagers marveled at her fortune, and word soon spread.
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Among those who heard was her younger sister. Envy burned inside her, sharper than a thorn. “If she found such wealth,” the jealous sister muttered, “then I shall find more. What she did, I can do better.”
Without waiting, the younger sister hurried into the forest. She searched until she too discovered the great drum hanging from the tree. But unlike her elder sister, she did not pause to wonder or approach with humility. Instead, she rushed forward, struck the drum with all her might, and shouted, “Spirits! Bring me treasures greater than hers!”
The sound of the drum this time was harsh, broken, and discordant. The spirits appeared, but their faces were no longer kind. Their forms twisted with anger, and their glowing light dimmed to shadow. “Greedy heart,” they hissed, “you came not to honor but to demand.”
The jealous sister tried to gather the gifts that began to appear, but they crumbled into dust in her hands. The spirits, enraged by her arrogance, rose with fury and chased her through the trees. She screamed and stumbled, yet no path led her home. Deeper and deeper she fled into the heart of the forest, until her cries were swallowed by the wind. From that day forward, no one ever saw her again.
The elder sister mourned but accepted what had happened. She continued to live humbly, sharing what the spirits had given her, and the villagers often repeated the tale. “Gratitude invites blessings,” they said, “but greed brings ruin.”
Moral Lesson
This tale reminds us that true rewards come to those who approach life with humility and thankfulness. The elder sister did not seek riches but was gifted them because her heart was pure. In contrast, her younger sister allowed jealousy to consume her, and in her greed she lost everything, even herself.
The story teaches that gratitude nurtures abundance, while envy and greed destroy it. What matters most is not what we demand of the world, but the spirit in which we receive what it offers.
Knowledge Check
Q1: Who discovered the spirit drum in the forest?
A1: The elder sister, who approached it with humility and curiosity.
Q2: What happened when the elder sister struck the drum?
A2: Spirits appeared, offering her food, cloth, and treasures.
Q3: Why did the younger sister strike the drum differently?
A3: She was jealous and greedy, demanding greater riches than her sister.
Q4: How did the spirits react to the younger sister’s greed?
A4: They grew angry, cursed her, and chased her until she vanished into the forest.
Q5: What is the main moral of this folktale?
A5: Gratitude brings blessings, while greed and envy lead to ruin.
Q6: What is the cultural origin of this folktale?
A6: It is a Sudanese folktale collected among the Fur people by Frobenius in 1923.
Source: Sudanese folktale, Fur people (collected by Frobenius, 1923).
