Long ago, in a time when the sun scorched the earth and rivers had dried to dusty cracks, there lived two doves, Kpanuhwele and Hweleagon. The dry season had lasted longer than any bird could remember, and water was scarce. Each day they searched, pecking the parched ground, their thirst growing unbearable.
Kpanuhwele, wise and determined, finally spoke, “We must go to the diviner. Only he can bring rain to quench this land.”
Hweleagon hesitated, shaking his feathers nervously. “If we go to the diviner, he will ask for chickens, goats, and money. I have nothing to sell. I am poor. I cannot afford this,” he replied, glancing at the empty streams and cracked soil.
But Kpanuhwele was resolute. “Then I will go alone,” he said, flapping his wings and taking flight toward the diviner’s house.
Upon arrival, the diviner listened carefully, then instructed, “To bring rain, you must sacrifice a goat, chickens, a cock, pepper, and salt. Only then will the heavens open.”
Kpanuhwele, undeterred by the task, gathered the required items. The ceremony was performed with solemnity. The goat was sacrificed, the chickens laid upon the altar, and the spices prepared. Yet there was a challenge: no water existed to cook the offerings. In that moment, as if in answer to their courage and devotion, the sky darkened, and rain began to pour, filling every vessel, quenching every thirst. Kpanuhwele found water for cooking and celebrated, grateful for the blessing.
Meanwhile, Hweleagon, who had refused to heed the diviner, also managed to find water nearby, but it was never enough to sustain him through the long, unrelenting dry days.
Some days later, the sun returned with merciless heat, and the earth again cracked with thirst. Kpanuhwele, resourceful and cautious, had created a small hole at his house to store water. Hweleagon, now desperate, approached the hole but was embarrassed. “I am going to drink from the hole… I am going to drink from the hole,” he muttered to himself, unwilling to admit his dependence.
Kpanuhwele, stern and wise, warned him, “If you have not sacrificed a goat, you must not drink from the hole.”
Hweleagon lingered, reluctant to leave but unable to claim the water. He returned again and again, each time asking, each time denied. The two doves stayed in this rhythm until night fell, when finally Kpanuhwele, weary of Hweleagon’s persistence, granted him a small share of water just to be rid of his constant pleading.
And thus, to this very day, doves speak in this manner. One says, “Nanu kodo, nanu kodo… I want to drink from the hole, I want to drink from the hole.” The other responds, “Awu gboa, gbo nanu kodoa… If you haven’t killed a goat, how can you drink from the hole?” Their voices carry the memory of sacrifice, courage, and the lessons learned from obedience to the divine.
Moral Lesson
This story teaches that courage, sacrifice, and respect for spiritual authority are rewarded. Those who shirk responsibility or ignore divine guidance may find themselves deprived, even when the rewards are within reach. True blessings come to those who act with devotion and integrity.
Knowledge Check
Who were the two main doves in the story?
Kpanuhwele, the obedient and courageous dove, and Hweleagon, the hesitant and reluctant one.
Why did Kpanuhwele go to the diviner?
To seek rain during the dry season by performing the necessary sacrifices.
What items were required for the divination ceremony?
A goat, chickens, a cock, pepper, and salt.
Why did Hweleagon fail to receive water at first?
He refused to make the required sacrifices and was ashamed to ask for water.
What lesson do the doves’ voices teach today?
They remind others that blessings require sacrifice and obedience to divine guidance.
What cultural origin does this folktale come from?
It is a Beninese folktale from Benin.
Source: Beninese Folktale
