Along the banks of a winding African river where the water flowed dark and deep between sandy shores, there lived Ibembe the Dove in the days when animals spoke freely, and sacred oaths bound creatures together in unbreakable covenants. The morning mist rose from the water like spirits dancing, and the ancient baobab trees stood as silent witnesses to the countless dramas that unfolded beneath their spreading branches.
Dove had chosen to make his home in the hollow of a fallen tree trunk near the river’s edge, a location that allowed him to satisfy his preference for walking along the ground rather than spending all his time perched high in the branches like his cousins. The soft earth beneath his feet felt natural and comfortable, and the riverside location provided easy access to the seeds, insects, and small treasures that made up his daily meals.
On this particular morning, as the sun painted golden streaks across the rippling water and the air filled with the sounds of awakening wildlife, Dove was busy with his domestic arrangements when a massive disturbance in the river caught his attention. The water churned and frothed, and suddenly Ngando the Crocodile emerged from the depths, his powerful tail propelling his armored body toward the bank with practiced ease.
Also read: The Treachery of Tortoise
Crocodile was a fearsome sight to behold, his ancient eyes reflecting the wisdom and danger of countless seasons spent as the river’s apex predator. Water streamed from his ridged back as he hauled himself onto his favorite log, a smooth piece of driftwood that had been polished by years of use as his preferred resting spot. His massive jaws, capable of crushing bone like dry twigs, opened slightly as he settled into his customary position for basking in the warming rays of the morning sun.
The two creatures regarded each other across the small distance that separated their territories, each recognizing in the other a neighbor who shared this stretch of riverbank. Despite the natural wariness between prey and predator, there was something in the morning air that suggested possibility, perhaps even cooperation.
“Friend Ngando,” Dove called out in his melodious voice, “since we are to be neighbors in this place, perhaps we should establish an understanding between us. What say you to making a covenant that will ensure peace and mutual benefit?”
Crocodile’s ancient eyes glittered with interest. In their culture, sacred oaths were not taken lightly, for they involved the consumption of powerful medicine charms that carried the spiritual force to punish oath-breakers with death itself. These covenants were more than mere promises; they were binding contracts overseen by the spirit world.
“I am agreeable to such an arrangement,” Crocodile replied, his voice rumbling like distant thunder. “Let us eat a Medicine-charm together and bind ourselves in sacred trust.”
The ritual that followed was as old as the river itself. Both creatures partook of the mystical medicine, a mixture of herbs and spiritual elements that would serve as witness to their promises and executor of punishment should either party break their word.
Dove spoke first, his voice clear and carrying the weight of sacred intent: “I swear to you, Ngando, that when anything at all shall happen openly in this place, if I do not tell it to you, then may this Medicine find me out and kill me. I bind myself to warn you of any danger or opportunity that I may observe.”
Crocodile nodded solemnly and made his corresponding vow: “When whatever thing shall come out from the river onto the ground, if I do not tell it to you, this Medicine must find me out and kill me! I pledge to share with you any knowledge that may benefit or protect you.”
With their covenant sealed, both creatures felt the satisfaction that comes from establishing order and mutual protection in an uncertain world. Crocodile slipped back into his underwater dwelling, while Dove returned to his tree-trunk home, confident that he had secured a valuable alliance.
But as Dove made his way along his preferred ground-level path later that day, fate arranged an encounter that would complicate his newly established relationship. Emerging from the dense bush with the silent grace that made him such a successful hunter, Nje the Leopard appeared on the path directly in front of the smaller bird.
Leopard’s spotted coat rippled with barely contained power as he fixed his golden eyes on Dove with predatory intensity. Yet there was something beyond mere hunting interest in his gaze, there was calculation and perhaps the recognition of opportunity.
“Small friend,” Leopard purred in the deceptively gentle tone that preceded either friendship or death, “I have observed your movements in this area, and I believe you might be of service to me. Are you able to see Crocodile for me? I have developed quite an appetite for his particular flavor.”
Dove’s mind raced as he considered his options. Here was one of the forest’s most dangerous predators making what amounted to a request for cooperation. The wise course would be to avoid entanglement, but wisdom was often overruled by opportunity.
“Ah, mighty Nje,” Dove replied carefully, “would that you and I were living in one place with an Agreement! Such cooperation could benefit us both greatly.”
Leopard’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Come then! Let us, I and you, eat a Medicine together and bind ourselves in sacred partnership.”
Once again, Dove found himself participating in the ancient ritual of oath-making, this time with a predator whose power could protect him from many dangers but whose friendship came with its own terrible risks.
Leopard spoke his oath with the authority of one accustomed to being obeyed: “Anything at all that shall come to my place where I dwell, if I be there, and it wants to get hold of you, if I tell it not to you, let this Medicine find and certainly kill me! I swear to protect you from all threats within my domain.”
Dove, now committed to a second sacred covenant, made his corresponding promise: “If I see Crocodile, and I do not tell you, let this Medicine find me and certainly kill me! I pledge to inform you of his movements and whereabouts.”
As they parted ways, each returning to his own territory, Dove carried within himself the weight of two conflicting obligations. He had sworn to warn Crocodile of any dangers, while simultaneously promising to help Leopard hunt that very same crocodile. The clever bird believed he could navigate between these competing loyalties, but he had not fully considered the inevitable moment when both oaths would be tested simultaneously.
That moment came sooner than expected. On a bright morning when the river sparkled like scattered diamonds and the air was filled with the calls of fish eagles, Crocodile emerged from his watery realm and began making his way toward his customary log. The massive reptile moved with the unhurried confidence of a creature that had no natural enemies in his aquatic domain.
Dove, true to his word to Leopard, immediately began his alert: “He has emerged from the river and is about to settle on the log! Come quickly, the opportunity you have waited for is at hand!”
Leopard responded with the swift efficiency of a master hunter, moving through the undergrowth with deadly purpose, his powerful muscles propelling him silently toward his unsuspecting prey. His golden eyes were fixed on the prize, and his mind was already savoring the victory that seemed within reach.
But as Leopard drew closer, closing the distance between himself and Crocodile with each calculated step, Dove suddenly realized the full implications of his double oath. His promise to Crocodile demanded that he warn of approaching danger, just as his promise to Leopard required him to facilitate the hunt.
In that moment of crisis, Dove made a choice that would satisfy the letter of both oaths while revealing the essential conflict between them. Turning toward the river, he called out in urgent warning: “Your watcher! Your watcher is coming! Do not approach here! Danger moves through the bush toward you!”
Crocodile, alerted by his covenant partner’s warning, immediately slipped back into the safety of the deep water, disappearing beneath the surface with barely a ripple to mark his passage.
Leopard, seeing his prey escape at the moment of certain capture, was consumed by a rage that made his spotted coat bristle with fury. When he next encountered Dove, his voice was deadly with suppressed violence.
“What is this treachery you have done to me?” Leopard snarled, his claws extending as his anger threatened to overwhelm his self-control. “You swore to me this: ‘If I see Crocodile I will tell you; and you must come catch him.’ I fulfilled my part, responding to your call and approaching as agreed. But then, as soon as you saw me coming, you turned around and told Crocodile to fall into the river! You have mocked me and made me a fool!”
The great cat’s fury was so intense that Dove could feel the heat of it like fire, and he knew that his cleverness had earned him a deadly enemy. From that day forward, no dove has dared to build its nest on the ground, for they all remember the lesson learned by their ancestor who tried to serve two masters and ended up trusted by neither.
Moral Lesson
This folktale teaches that divided loyalty ultimately serves no one well. When we try to make conflicting promises or serve opposing interests, we often end up betraying everyone involved. True integrity requires choosing our commitments carefully and honoring them fully, rather than attempting to manipulate situations through clever wordplay or deception.
Knowledge Check
Q1: What were the sacred “Medicine-charms” that bound the animals in their oaths? A: The Medicine-charms were spiritual mixtures connected to spirits that both parties consumed together to create binding covenants. These sacred substances were believed to have the power to punish oath-breakers with death.
Q2: What conflicting oaths did Dove make in this African folktale? A: Dove swore to Crocodile to warn him of any dangers, while also promising Leopard to inform him of Crocodile’s whereabouts so he could hunt him, creating directly opposing obligations.
Q3: How did Dove try to fulfill both oaths when Crocodile emerged from the river? A: Dove first told Leopard that Crocodile had emerged (fulfilling his hunting oath), then warned Crocodile that “your watcher is coming” (fulfilling his protection oath), technically keeping both promises while betraying their spirit.
Q4: What consequence did Dove’s double-dealing have on dove behavior according to this tale? A: Because Dove deceived and angered Leopard through his divided loyalty, doves no longer build their nests on the ground due to fear of leopards, they now nest in trees for safety.
Q5: What African cultural practice is demonstrated through the oath-making ceremonies? A: The story illustrates the traditional African practice of making sacred covenants through ritual consumption of spiritual medicines, creating binding agreements overseen by spirit forces that would punish oath-breakers.
Q6: What does this folktale teach about loyalty and making conflicting promises? A: The tale warns that trying to serve opposing interests through clever manipulation ultimately fails, showing that true integrity requires choosing commitments carefully and honoring them fully rather than attempting to deceive multiple parties.
