Long ago, in the heart of the African wilderness, there lay a quiet glade where a humble tribe had built their huts. The people lived in harmony with nature and with one another, sharing food, laughter, and the struggles of daily life. Among them lived a frail old man and his equally gaunt wife. They were always complaining of hunger and poverty, though their neighbours often pitied them and generously invited them to share their meals. Yet, instead of showing gratitude, the old couple secretly stole small items from every home they visited, hiding them away for themselves.
In time, suspicion grew among the villagers. Their doubts were confirmed one day when the greedy pair crept into the hut of a sick man. Too weak to defend himself, the man could only watch as they stole a leather bag filled with cowrie shells. In those days, cowries were used as money, and a bag of them meant a fortune. Though fevered and weak, the sick man recognized the thieves and shouted with all the strength he had left. By the time the villagers arrived, the old couple had fled with the treasure.
The villagers searched the shabby hut of the couple, but the cowries were hidden well. With boldness, the old man and his wife denied everything, insisting the accusations were nothing more than the mad ramblings of a delirious patient. Yet as soon as the villagers left, the pair grabbed the stolen bag and hurried into the jungle. Their escape was spotted, and the alarm was raised. Soon the entire village chased after them.
Cornered, the skinny old couple scrambled up a tall, sturdy tree, clutching the stolen bag tightly. From below, the villagers encircled them. They were determined to wait the thieves out, no matter how long it took. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. The villagers built small huts at the foot of the tree and cooked their meals there, the savory aroma of fish and fowl wafting upwards to torment the old couple.
READ: The Fourth Gourd of Cowrie: A Zambian Folktale
Hungry and miserable, the thieves devoured first the tree’s fruits, then its leaves, and when nothing remained, they gnawed desperately at the bark. Their bodies grew frailer under the strain, yet something strange began to happen. To withstand the cold winds and rains, hair sprouted all over their skin. Their hands hardened into claws, the result of clinging endlessly to the tree’s rough bark.
One morning, the old man stirred uneasily and groaned, “I feel something strange at the end of my spine, it is as if it is growing!”
The old woman peered at him in alarm. “Indeed, you are growing a tail!” she exclaimed. Then she paused, touched her own back, and gasped. “And I too am growing one!”
They stared at each other in horror, then realization. Those words were the last they ever spoke in human tongue. From that moment, their speech dissolved into chatter and gibberish, their bodies twisted beyond recognition. Their tails lengthened, and soon they leapt from branch to branch-like creatures of the forest.
One day, while fighting over a fruit, the bag of cowries slipped from their grasp and tumbled to the ground. But the treasure no longer mattered. They had forgotten its value entirely, consumed only by their new instincts. The waiting villagers below seized the bag and shared the contents among themselves. The sick man had already died, weary of waiting for justice, and so the cowries were divided among the living.
The old couple, now transformed beyond all return, disappeared into the thick jungle. To this day, when monkeys approach the huts of men, the people jeer and remind them of their shameful past, that they are the descendants of the greedy old pair who once betrayed their neighbours for a bag of cowries.
Moral Lesson
This tale reminds us that greed and dishonesty destroy trust and invite downfall. Instead of gratitude for the kindness of their neighbours, the old couple chose theft and deceit. Their punishment was not only the loss of their human dignity but a complete transformation into creatures who could no longer value what they once craved. The story warns us that selfishness consumes the soul, while honesty and gratitude preserve community and honour.
Knowledge Check
1. Who were the main characters in the story?
The tale centres on a greedy old man and his wife, whose dishonesty led to their transformation into monkeys.
2. What valuable item did the couple steal?
They stole a leather bag filled with cowrie shells, which served as money in those times.
3. Why did the villagers stay beneath the tree for so long?
They were determined to punish the couple and built huts to keep watch, refusing to let the thief’s escape.
4. How did the old couple begin to transform into monkeys?
They grew hair for warmth, their hands hardened into claws, and eventually tails sprouted as their bodies adapted to life in the tree.
5. What happened to the stolen bag of cowries in the end?
It fell to the ground during a quarrel, and the villagers retrieved and shared it among themselves.
6. What cultural lesson does this Zambian folktale teach?
It teaches that greed and dishonesty lead to ruin, while gratitude and honesty preserve harmony in society.
Folktale Origin
Source: Kalulu the Hare and Other Zambian Folk-Tales, Bemba folktale, Zambia.
