Once upon a time, in a small village surrounded by forests and farmlands, a man and his wife lived quietly but sorrowfully, for they had no children. Then, one day, while the husband was away hunting, something remarkable happened. The wife gave birth to a son.
Her joy was great, but so was her worry. In their culture, a father was expected to name the child on the eighth day. As the days passed and her husband did not return, she wondered how the naming would take place. To her astonishment, the child himself spoke up:
“My name is Quarcoo Bah-Boni.”
The mother could hardly believe her ears. Her son was only a week old, yet he spoke clearly, naming himself. This was the first sign that Quarcoo was no ordinary child.
A Child Who Acts Like a Man
The following day, as the mother grumbled about her absent husband and the lack of food, the baby declared, “I will go to the farm.” And to her shock, he did.
Weeks passed, and Quarcoo’s strangeness only grew. One day, some angry boys came to the woman complaining. “Your son has beaten us in the street!”
She laughed in disbelief. “That is impossible! My son is but a tiny baby. He is asleep on my bed.”
But when she went inside, the bed was empty. Embarrassed, she apologized to the boys. Soon after, Quarcoo returned, climbed into bed, and pretended to sleep as if nothing had happened.
The mother endured his mischief for as long as she could, but eventually his behavior became unbearable. In frustration, she turned him out of the house. Quarcoo left joyfully, free to cause trouble elsewhere.
Quarcoo Joins the Animals
After traveling for several miles, Quarcoo came to a curious house. Inside lived Goat, Wolf, Tiger, Lion, and Elephant. These five animals lived together peacefully, sharing food and work.
Quarcoo greeted them politely. “I have no mother,” he said. “Let me stay with you as your servant.”
The animals, after some discussion, agreed. They believed the boy could be useful in carrying loads and helping with chores. They gave him food, which he ate with delight, and welcomed him into their circle.
The animals had a routine: every day, one of them went to their distant farm to fetch food. The next morning was Goat’s turn. Goat asked Quarcoo to accompany him and carry the basket. Quarcoo agreed at least in words.
When they reached the farm, however, Quarcoo set down the basket and ran off to play. Goat called repeatedly, but Quarcoo ignored him. At last, frustrated, Goat struck the boy on the ear. But Quarcoo, far stronger than he appeared, retaliated with such force that Goat fell to the ground. Quarcoo beat him soundly until Goat promised to finish all the work, carry the heavy basket home, and keep silent about what had happened.
When they reached home, Quarcoo took the basket from Goat at the last moment and carried it inside, appearing innocent. The other animals were shocked to see Goat’s swollen, bruised face. “What happened?” they asked. Goat, remembering his promise, lied: “I was stung by a swarm of bees.”
Trouble for Every Animal
The same thing happened each day. Wolf went next, and returned battered and bruised, making excuses about accidents. Then Tiger, then Lion, then Elephant. Each fell victim to Quarcoo’s cunning strength. Goat and Wolf secretly shared knowing looks, realizing they had all been tricked, but none dared tell the truth.
At last, the animals decided enough was enough. They would abandon the troublesome boy. Together they prepared a large basket of food for their journey, planning to leave Quarcoo behind.
But Quarcoo overheard their plan. Quietly, he rolled himself into a large leaf, slipped inside the basket of food, and hid.
The Basket Trick
At dawn, the animals rose and departed. Goat carried the basket, happy to leave Quarcoo behind or so he thought. But after a while, Goat grew tired and stopped to rest. Tempted by hunger, he opened the basket to sneak some food. Instead, he was struck across the face by Quarcoo, who whispered, “Close the basket at once, and say nothing.” Terrified, Goat obeyed.
Later, Wolf carried the basket and tried the same trick. Again, Quarcoo punished him and ordered him to silence. In turn, each animal was caught by the boy, beaten, and forced to continue carrying the basket in fear.
Finally, Elephant’s turn came. Exhausted, he asked to be relieved. The others told him to throw the basket away if he could not carry it. Elephant hurled it aside, and the animals ran as fast as they could, desperate to escape.
The Final Confrontation
After several miles, they rested beneath a great tree. What they did not know was that Quarcoo had already slipped from the basket, taken a shortcut, and climbed into the branches above.
As the animals sat below, they began to argue, blaming Goat for suggesting Quarcoo should join them in the first place. Goat protested angrily, saying, “If I am guilty, let Quarcoo himself appear before us.”
At once, the boy leapt down from the tree. The animals screamed in terror and fled in every direction. From that moment, they scattered to different lands:
- Wolf fled into the woods.
- Tiger disappeared into the dense forest.
- Elephant wandered away to Nigeria.
- Lion ran into the desert.
- Goat sought safety in the homes of human beings.
And that is why these animals no longer live together as they once did.
Moral Lesson
The story of Quarcoo Bah-Boni shows how mischief and deceit can destroy unity. His cunning tricks caused distrust and separation, scattering the animals across the world. The tale warns us that selfishness, dishonesty, and cruelty even from one small individual can break apart entire communities.
Knowledge Check
1: Who was Quarcoo Bah-Boni?
He was a miraculous child who spoke and acted like an adult but was mischievous and troublesome.
2: Why did Quarcoo’s mother send him away?
His mischief and troublesome behavior became unbearable.
3: Which animals did Quarcoo live with?
Goat, Wolf, Tiger, Lion, and Elephant.
4: How did Quarcoo trick the animals on the farm?
He pretended to help but instead beat them and forced them to finish the work.
5: What did Quarcoo do when the animals tried to escape him?
He hid in their basket, punished each for their greed, and later frightened them under a tree.
6: What does the folktale explain about animals today?
It explains why animals like wolf, tiger, elephant, lion, and goat all live in different places.
Source: African folktale (oral tradition, Ghana)
