Long ago, deep within the forests of Zambia, a strange division separated boys and girls into two villages across a wide river. The boys lived alone in their huts on the northern bank, while the girls made their homes on the southern side. Yet it had not always been so. Once, all men and women lived together in harmony on an island in the middle of the river. Then a dreadful plague swept through their land, carrying death each day to more of the people. In desperation, they sought the guidance of a witch-doctor, one who was neither fully man nor woman, but a figure of mystery who embodied both.
The witch-doctor instructed them to divide. “Let the boys live on one bank, and the girls upon the other,” the figure declared. The young obeyed, for all the elders had died, leaving only the youth behind. Reluctantly, they abandoned their island home. The witch-doctor, refusing to live without them, locked himself inside the hut of the late chief, set it aflame, and burned with it, leaving behind a silence as heavy as the smoke that lingered in the sky.
Two Villages of Sorrow
On opposite banks, the boys and girls built crude dwellings. At dusk they would gather at the river’s edge, gazing longingly at one another. They wished to live together again, to marry, and to raise children. But fear of the plague held them apart. Their sorrow poured into songs of mourning, their voices carrying curses upon the river winds.
The boys, however, had one source of strength, a wild dog they had tamed. This dog, fed on maggots mixed with powerful medicine, grew extraordinarily strong. He hunted tirelessly, bringing down animals that sustained the boys. On the southern bank, the girls had no such ally. They relied on the river’s fish, and for a time this sufficed.
But then came drought. The river dried to patches of sand. The girls dug wells and kept fish in them, but even these pools soon shrank into dust. Hunger gnawed at them, leaving their bodies weak and frail. Meanwhile, the boys thrived, for the drought weakened the forest animals, and the enchanted dog hunted more easily than ever before. The difference between the two villages became stark, the boys growing stronger, the girls wasting away.
READ: The Origin of Life and Death: A Kaonde Creation Myth from Zambia
The Plea for Help
One unbearably hot night, the girls gathered in despair. “Shall we not ask the boys to lend us their dog?” one whispered. At first, the idea seemed impossible, yet their need outweighed their pride. They chose the most beautiful among them, called Beauty, to approach the boys. She adorned herself with care, heightening her natural grace, and crossed the river.
“Will you have mercy on us?” she pleaded to the head-boy.
“What do you ask of us?” he replied.
“Lend us your dog, that he may hunt food for us as well.”
The head-boy and his companions hesitated. Finally, bewitched by Beauty’s grace, the leader agreed, but with a warning. “This dog is no ordinary beast. Only one among you may command him. Should all of you give orders at once, he will go mad and flee forever.” Beauty agreed, thanked him silently, and returned home with the dog.
The Dog’s Betrayal
At first, all went well. The dog hunted faithfully, bringing animals that fed the girls for days. Beauty alone commanded him, and harmony was preserved. Every fifth day, she crossed the river to borrow him again.
But one night, while Beauty slept, three curious girls decided to try. Together they gave the dog commands, their voices overlapping. Just as the head-boy had warned, the dog went wild. He dashed into the bush, maddened, and was never seen again.
When the boys discovered their loss, they demanded the return of the dog. A messenger brought back the sad truth: the dog had vanished. Fury filled the boys’ hearts. Hungry now themselves, they prepared to cross the river and take revenge upon the girls.
The Reunion
The girls, knowing they could not resist the boys’ anger, made their choice. As the young men approached, the girls dressed themselves in their finest clothing. They sat at the thresholds of their huts, waiting with calm resolve.
When the boys stormed into the village, ready for vengeance, they found not enemies but maidens dressed with beauty and dignity. Their rage melted into desire, their hunger into love. The quarrel over the dog was forgotten. Boys and girls embraced, becoming husbands and wives. Once again, they lived together, bound by the ties of family, until death at last carried them to their ancestors.
Moral Lesson
This tale teaches that selfishness and disobedience bring loss, yet love and unity heal divisions. The dog, a symbol of power and survival, was destroyed by impatience and curiosity. But when anger threatened to bring destruction, compassion and love restored balance. The story reminds us that reconciliation is stronger than revenge, and that harmony grows where division once reigned.
Knowledge Check
Q1: Why were the boys and girls separated into two villages?
A plague forced them to divide on the advice of a witch-doctor.
Q2: What gave the boys an advantage during the drought?
A powerful hunting dog, fed on medicine, that provided them with abundant food.
Q3: How did the girls initially survive without the dog?
They relied on fish from the river and wells they dug in the sand.
Q4: What caused the dog to run away forever?
Multiple girls commanded him at once, driving him mad.
Q5: How did the girls prepare when the boys came for revenge?
They dressed beautifully and welcomed the boys with warmth, disarming their anger.
Q6: What cultural lesson does the tale emphasize?
It underscores the value of unity, reconciliation, and the dangers of selfishness.
Source: Kaonde folktale, Zambia. Collected in Folktales of Zambia (see: Chiman L. Vyas, comp., “Folktales of Zambia” collection).
