Long ago, in the rivers of Equatorial Guinea, two children went down to bathe in the cool, flowing waters. The river wound through the forest like a silver snake, its surface glimmering under the sun, while the surrounding trees cast dark shadows on the banks. The children laughed, splashing and chasing each other, their voices carrying joy across the water. But beneath the calm ripples lurked Ngando, the crocodile, waiting in silence, its scaled body hidden, its eyes watching.
With terrifying speed, the crocodile surged forward. In one swift motion, it seized one of the children in its jaws. The second child screamed in terror but could do nothing. The crocodile dragged the first child down to a hole dug deep into the riverbank.
Yet, unlike most attacks, Ngando did not kill its captive. Instead, in a chilling voice, it spoke:
“I leave you here. I will return to fetch the other one who remains.”
With that, the crocodile slipped back into the river, determined to seize the second child as well.
Inside the hole, the captured boy trembled. His heart pounded as his eyes adjusted to the dim light. What he saw astonished him, the lair was full of living fish, kept alive as Ngando’s food supply. Their bodies shimmered faintly, a strange storehouse of prey awaiting death.
READ THIS: Bokona and the Talking Hogs: An Equatorial Guinean Folktale
Then, lifting his eyes upward, he noticed something else: a narrow opening above his head, a small passage that led out. Hope surged within him. Gathering all his strength, the child climbed toward the gap. With one desperate push, he squeezed through and leapt into the open air, running as fast as his legs could carry him back to his village.
When he arrived, panting and trembling, he told the people everything: the crocodile’s attack, its words, the strange chamber of fish, and his escape through the upper opening. The villagers rejoiced at his survival. They fired their guns into the sky in celebration, the sound echoing across the land.
Meanwhile, Ngando returned to the bathing place, expecting to seize the second child. To its fury, neither child was there. The crocodile raged, thrashing in the water. The villagers, ready for its return, shot at it with their guns, but the bullets could not pierce its thick, armored hide.
Enraged, Ngando left the riverbank and went back to its lair, only to find the hole empty. The boy was gone. Maddened by this escape, the crocodile left its watery domain and pursued the child all the way to the village.
For three days, Ngando prowled the center of the community, bellowing and barking like an enraged beast. Its massive body dragged across the ground, its jaws snapping, its eyes blazing with fury. The villagers lived in terror, for the crocodile sought to kill someone to satisfy its anger. Though the people fired their guns again and again, nothing could wound it. The crocodile remained, a dark reminder of the dangers that dwell in river waters.
And so the tale of Ngando, the crocodile who tried to claim two children but failed, was passed down through generations as a warning and a memory.
Moral Lesson
This tale teaches the power of courage and quick thinking. The child’s escape shows that even in the face of great danger, a sharp mind and determination can open the path to safety.
At the same time, the crocodile reminds us of the untamable force of nature. Not every threat can be defeated by strength or weapons; sometimes survival depends on vigilance, unity, and respect for the hidden powers of the natural world.
Knowledge Check
Who are the main characters in this folktale?
Two children, Ngando the crocodile, and the villagers.
Where did the crocodile take the first child?
To its hole in the riverbank.
How did the child escape the crocodile’s lair?
By climbing through an opening above his head and running to the village.
How did the villagers celebrate the child’s return?
They welcomed him with joy and fired their guns into the air.
Why couldn’t the villagers harm Ngando?
Because their bullets could not pierce the crocodile’s thick hide.
What is the cultural origin of this folktale?
It is an Equatorial Guinean folktale.
Source: Equatorial Guinean folktale
