Long ago, when animals lived and worked together as if they were people, there was a fox named Deya Ali. She was clever, but her cleverness was filled with deceit. The lion was her uncle, and he ruled as king over many creatures. They all lived together: the lion, the fox, the humu-humu bird, the forked stick, the axe, the coffee husk, the butter, the corn chaff, and even the hyena. Together they herded a great number of cattle that provided food and wealth for them all.
The lion trusted his niece, though everyone knew she was a trickster. One morning he said, “Fox, take the hyena and go to the field. You must watch over the cattle.”
So the fox and the hyena went out. The cattle grazed peacefully until the sun began to set. Hunger gnawed at their stomachs, and the fox said, “Hyena, let us find food. We cannot eat our own cattle, or my uncle will beat us. Go and catch one that belongs to other herdsmen.”
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The greedy hyena agreed. He rushed at a cow from another herd, but the herdsmen saw him. They beat him and shot him dead. The fox laughed to herself, then gathered the lion’s cattle and drove them home.
“Uncle,” she cried when she returned, “I worked alone all day! That foolish hyena went to steal another man’s cow, and they killed him. I alone guarded your herd.”
The lion shook his head. “Sad indeed. Who will go with you tomorrow?”
“The humu-humu bird,” said the fox.
The next day she went with the humu-humu bird. When hunger struck, the fox whispered, “Friend, bring us food, or I will.” The bird refused. So the fox ran about and ate small things herself. By evening she handed the bird a stone dipped in syrup. “Eat this,” she urged. The poor bird swallowed and choked. Her voice became nothing but “humu, humu.”
That evening the fox returned. “Uncle, this foolish bird stuffed herself and now she can only croak. I herded alone again.” The lion, angered, struck down the bird.
The next day the fox chose the forked stick. Again she tricked her companion. She told the stick to help men cutting wood for fences. They seized the stick, used it, and soon it broke in half. The fox laughed and returned with the cattle, blaming the stick.
Day after day the same pattern followed. The coffee husk, roasted and brewed into drink. The butter, melted on a hot stone. The chaff, drowned in the river. Each time the fox lied, each time she returned alone, and each time the lion believed her.
At last the lion said, “Who remains?”
“No one, Uncle. Only you. Come with me yourself.”
So the lion went. But the fox had dug a great pit, filled it with fire, and covered it with branches. “Sit here in the shade, Uncle, while I herd,” she said sweetly. The lion sat, fell through, and was burned.
Now the fox ruled alone, with all the cattle in her care. But greed is never satisfied.
The people of the village saw her alone and whispered, “Let us steal from her. She has no one to guard her.”
When they came, the fox ran in circles, making many voices as if a whole company stood by her side. “Deya Ali the fox!” she sang. “The people see me and they flee!”
The men grew afraid and left. But they came again, saw only the fox, and said, “Why should we fear? She is alone.” They stole her cattle.
The fox tried to frighten them by tying pots and pans to her body. As she ran, the clanging sounded like horses’ hooves. “Ali! Omer!” she cried, pretending others were near. But the men saw through her trick. This time they took all she owned, leaving her with nothing.
And so Deya Ali, who tricked her friends and even killed her uncle, was left alone.
Moral Lesson of Another Fox Story
The story of Deya Ali teaches that greed and selfishness destroy those who practice them. The fox gained wealth for herself, but by betraying her companions and seeking to keep everything, she ended up with nothing. True strength comes not from trickery or loneliness but from living with honesty and respecting the bonds of family and community.
Knowledge Check:
Who was Deya Ali in the folktale Another Fox Story?
Deya Ali was a cheating fox, the niece of the lion, known for her selfish tricks and lies.How did the fox cause the death of her companions in Another Fox Story?
She deceived each companion, tricking them into dangerous situations where they were killed, melted, drowned, or destroyed.What happened to the lion in the story Another Fox Story?
The lion trusted the fox and went with her to herd cattle, but she tricked him into sitting on a covered fire pit where he died.Why did the people in the village decide to steal from the fox in Another Fox Story?
They saw that the fox was alone with many cattle and believed she had no one to protect her.What trick did the fox use to scare people in Another Fox Story?
She ran with pots and pans tied to her body, making loud noises like horses’ hooves, and shouted names to pretend she had allies.What is the main moral of Another Fox Story?
The tale warns that greed, betrayal, and selfishness may bring short-term gain but will ultimately leave a person isolated and ruined.
Cultural Origin: Somalia (Eastern African Folktale)
