One bright day in the Gambela region of Ethiopia, young Achok walked to the river with a fishing basket in hand. The water shimmered under the sun, flowing gently between the banks lined with tall reeds and whispering grasses. Achok, clever and quick with his hands, cast his net and soon caught many fish. Their scales glittered like pieces of silver as he carried them back to his uncle’s house, eager to share his catch.
At home, Achok removed the sharp spines from the fishes’ backs, set them to cook over a small fire, and filled the compound with a savory aroma. His uncle lay asleep nearby, so Achok shook him gently.
“Uncle, wake up! Come and eat,” he said with pride. “Look, I’ve caught fish and cooked them for you.”
His uncle sat up, his eyes widening at the sight of the steaming meal. “Oh, I like eating fish,” he said with joy, settling down to eat.
“They’re delicious!” he exclaimed after his first bite. “How did you catch them, Achok? Tomorrow, I too will go to the river and bring back such fish.”
A sly thought crossed Achok’s mind. He decided to play a trick on his unsuspecting uncle.
“Well, uncle,” Achok began, feigning seriousness, “I took some beer from the bottom of the pot and threw it into the river. The fish came up to drink the beer. Then I jumped into the river, and their spines pierced into my body. I climbed out, and pulled the fish out of my skin.”
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“Didn’t it hurt you?” asked his uncle with concern.
Achok laughed, throwing his arms wide. “Not at all! Look at me, uncle! I am perfectly fine.”
The next morning, Achok’s uncle went to the river with a pot of beer. He poured it into the water, and indeed, fish rose to the surface. Without hesitation, he jumped in. But instead of a feast, sharp spines drove deep into his back. He struggled out of the water, writhing in pain.
“Help me! Someone help me!” he cried.
The first to hear him was the olwaro bird, who hurried to the river.
“Oh, please,” groaned the uncle, “take these spines out of my back.”
“I will,” said the olwaro, “but only if you let me eat the biggest fish.”
“No!” protested the uncle. “I want the biggest fish myself.”
“Then I will not help you,” said the olwaro, and flew away.
The uncle shouted again. “Help me! Please, someone help me!”
This time the pelican came.
“Oh, please,” begged the uncle, “take the spines out of my back.”
“I will,” replied the pelican, “but first let me eat the largest fish.”
“No,” groaned the uncle stubbornly. “I want the biggest ones myself.”
“Then I won’t help you,” the pelican said, and left.
The uncle, his voice breaking, cried louder than before. “Please! Please help me!”
At last, the marabou stork arrived, tall and solemn.
“Take the spines out of my back,” the uncle pleaded. “But hear me: I will not give you the biggest fish.”
“Then I will take only the smallest ones,” said the marabou with a sly tone.
Carefully, the stork began pulling the fish out of the uncle’s back. But each time he removed a large, gleaming fish, he swallowed it whole.
“Are you eating the big fish?” the uncle demanded.
“Oh no,” said the marabou smoothly. “That was a small one.”
Again and again, the stork pulled out a fat fish, calling each one “the smallest.” When the last was gone, all the big fish were in the stork’s belly, leaving only the smallest behind. With a flap of wings, the marabou flew away.
Achok’s uncle, exhausted and aching, gathered the few little fish and trudged home. Tears streamed down his face. “Oh, my back! My fish! My back!” he wailed.
When Achok saw him, he asked, pretending innocence, “What happened, uncle?”
“You told me to pour beer into the river, then jump in to catch fish,” his uncle groaned. “The spines pierced me! And I could not pull them out. Why did you trick me so?”
Achok threw up his hands and laughed. “Who, me? No, uncle. I only told you to go to the river and take the fish carefully with your hands. That is what I said!”
Moral Lesson
This story reminds us that greed and gullibility bring pain, while patience and wisdom lead to peace. Achok’s trick shows how thoughtless imitation can end in suffering, while the uncle’s refusal to share cost him dearly. In every community, sharing fairly and listening carefully guard us from harm.
Knowledge Check
1. Who was Achok, and what did he do at the river?
Achok was a boy who went fishing, caught many fish, and cooked them for his uncle.
2. What trick did Achok play on his uncle?
He lied that he used beer to attract fish, then let them pierce his body so he could pull them out.
3. Which three birds appeared to help Achok’s uncle?
The olwaro bird, the pelican, and the marabou stork.
4. Why did the uncle refuse the birds’ help at first?
He was greedy and did not want to give away the biggest fish.
5. What lesson does the marabou stork’s behavior teach?
Those who refuse to share may lose even more, and tricksters often disguise their selfishness.
6. Where does this folktale come from?
This story originates from the Gambela region of Ethiopia.
Source: Ethiopian folktale, Gambela region.
