One morning, Adder went to bathe, enjoying the cool water before returning to anoint his body with rich nyimba oil, pressed from bamboo-palm nuts. Gleaming with the sheen of the oil, he slithered out onto the branch of a cayenne-pepper bush, warming himself in the sun. But his peace did not last.
Soon, Fly appeared, buzzing about restlessly until he landed on Adder’s back. Irritated, Adder flicked his body to drive the tiny creature away. Fly, stung by the dismissal, lashed out angrily. “Do you not know who I am? I, small as I may be, cause mighty Elephant with his great tusks to rot! I cause Ox and Hippopotamus to rot! I even cause Mankind to rot! And you, who are nothing but ribs upon ribs, how much easier for me to destroy!”
These words shook Adder deeply. The thought of Fly holding such dreadful power filled him with dread. Without another word, he fled in haste, diving into the burrow of Wild-Rat.
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Wild-Rat, startled by the sudden arrival, asked, “Chum Adder! Why do you come here in such fear?” Adder trembled as he answered, “I have seen a Being who claims to rot not only Beasts but even Mankind. I fled for fear of Ikingi the Fly.”
Wild-Rat, himself terrified by the news, hurried out and carried the message to Porcupine’s town. Bursting in, he exclaimed his fear. Porcupine, alarmed, asked, “What is it?” Wild-Rat replied, “I am afraid of Ikingi! Edubu says that he is the one who causes both Mankind and Beasts to rot!”
Porcupine’s quills bristled in panic. Without waiting, he ran to Hog’s village. Hog, confused, asked, “What is the matter, Chum?” Porcupine gasped, “I am afraid of Ikingi! Wild-Rat says that he is the one who brings rotting to Mankind and Beasts alike!”
The fear spread quickly. Hog, horrified, bolted to the river, leading his entire family in a frenzied rush. Their great stampede churned the water violently until the river’s surface surged out of its banks, leaving stretches of the channel dry.
Downstream, the Fish saw the water swell and shift. Mistaking the disturbance, they cried out in alarm, “The river bailers have come! They are emptying the water!” In terror, they fled all at once.
But Crocodile, lurking with hunger, saw an opportunity. He opened his enormous mouth wide, waiting at the river’s edge. As the frightened Fish fled downstream, many darted straight into Crocodile’s gaping jaws.
In his greed, Crocodile swallowed quickly and carelessly. Yet among the fleeing Fish was Ingongo-Kenda, a spined fish like a young catfish. As Crocodile attempted to gulp him down, the sharp spines lodged firmly in his throat. Choking and unable to breathe, Crocodile thrashed desperately. His strength failed, and soon he lay still.
The Fish, seeing their great enemy slain by his own greed, lifted their voices in a song of triumph:
“Ngando, with stealing,
Ngando died by a sting in his throat.”
And so, Crocodile met his end, not from an enemy’s hand, but from his own attempt to seize advantage amid the confusion born of fear.
Moral of the Story
This tale reminds us of the dangers of unchecked fear and blind panic. A single careless word from Fly sparked a chain of terror that spread from one animal to another, growing until it caused chaos in the river itself. Fear can multiply quickly when left unchallenged, and its consequences may harm both the fearful and the greedy.
At the same time, Crocodile’s death teaches a second lesson: greed often brings downfall. In seeking to take advantage of frightened Fish, he consumed more than he could manage, and it was his undoing. Thus, the story warns us against both the spreading of baseless fear and the destructive pull of selfish desire.
Knowledge Check
Q1: Who first spread the words that caused fear among the animals?
A1: Fly (Ikingi) claimed he could make even great Beasts and Mankind rot.
Q2: Why did Adder flee into Wild-Rat’s burrow?
A2: Adder was terrified after hearing Fly’s boast of power.
Q3: How did fear spread through the forest animals?
A3: Each animal repeated Adder’s warning, causing panic to pass from one to another.
Q4: What mistake did the Fish make when the river surged?
A4: They believed humans were bailing the river and fled in alarm.
Q5: How did Crocodile die during the panic?
A5: A spined fish lodged in his throat while he swallowed greedily.
Q6: What are the two main lessons of this folktale?
A6: The dangers of spreading fear and the destructive nature of greed.
Folktale Origin: Source: Traditional folktale, Equatorial Guinea.
