In the valleys of Angola, where the red earth carries the footprints of generations and the tall grasses whisper with the wind, there lived two very different creatures: a fox and a mole. The fox was sly, sleek, and proud of his sharp eyes and quick mind. The mole was small, blind to the sun’s brilliance, but steady in his way, working the hidden veins of the earth with patience.
The fox often mocked the mole. “What kind of life is it,” he sneered, “to live underground, never seeing the sky or the moon? You are a creature of darkness, while I am a hunter of the light.”
But the mole, wise though quiet, only replied, “The earth has its own secrets, Fox. What you see with your eyes, I feel with my heart.”
The Fox’s Boast
The fox strutted through the village clearings, boasting of his cunning to all who would listen. “No one is as clever as I,” he declared. “I can trick the birds from the trees, the goats from the pens, even the hunters from their traps. My eyes see everything.”
One day, a drought came to the land. The rivers shrank, and the grass grew brittle under the sun. The fox grew lean, for his tricks could no longer fill his belly. Yet he still mocked the mole, who remained plump and steady, always vanishing beneath the soil.
“You live in shadows, Mole,” said the fox. “But I live in glory. When the rain returns, the earth will shine again, and you will still be a prisoner of the dark.”
The mole answered softly, “When the world is cruel, it is not the brightness of the sky but the depth of the earth that saves.”
The Mole’s Secret Paths
The mole’s tunnels, dug with patience and humility, led him to hidden roots and buried seeds, food the fox could not find. Deep underground, the mole knew the cool chambers where water still trickled. While the fox prowled above, growing weak with hunger, the mole thrived.
One evening, the fox followed the mole’s faint tracks in the dust. “Surely I can steal his food,” he thought. He dug clumsily at the earth, but his paws were made for speed, not patience. He grew tired quickly, and the mole’s secret tunnels eluded him.
“Show me your ways, Mole,” the fox finally demanded. “You cannot hide forever.”
The mole replied from the safety of his burrow, “Fox, you mocked what you did not understand. Why should the earth share her secrets with one who ridicules her children?”
The Fox and the Mole’s Challenge
At last, the fox proposed a challenge. “If I can find food before sunset tomorrow, you must admit my way is greater. But if I fail, I will call you master of survival.”
The mole agreed. “Let us see whose path is wiser.”
The next day, the fox darted from bush to bush, searching for prey. His eyes scanned the horizon, his ears pricked to every sound. But the animals were gone, fled from the drought. His cleverness found nothing to eat.
The mole, meanwhile, dug slowly through the soil until he reached a buried yam. With steady teeth, he pulled it free, feasting beneath the earth’s cool shade.
Pride Humbled in the Dark
As the sun sank, the fox collapsed, weary and hungry. He admitted his defeat to the mole. “You were right,” the fox said bitterly. “Pride blinded me. I thought the light was all, but it is the dark earth that gives life.”
The mole, with quiet dignity, replied, “Every creature has its gift. Yours is cunning and speed, mine is patience and depth. But pride without humility blinds even the sharpest eyes.”
From that day, the fox never mocked the mole again. Instead, he learned to respect the wisdom of hidden paths and the strength found in silence.
Moral of the Tale
The tale teaches that pride blinds, while humility preserves. Cunning alone cannot endure hardship, but patience and wisdom rooted in the earth ensure survival. Those who mock the gifts of others often find themselves lacking when trials come. True strength lies not in boasting, but in balance, respect, and quiet perseverance.
Knowledge Check
Who are the two main characters in The Fox and the Mole?
The proud fox and the humble mole.
What natural disaster challenges the fox’s pride?
A drought that dries rivers and drives away prey.
How does the mole survive while the fox struggles?
By relying on his underground tunnels to find hidden food and water.
What is the lesson the fox learns at the end?
That humility and patience are greater than pride and boasting.
How does this story reflect Angolan values?
It emphasizes respect for the wisdom of the earth, humility, and survival through balance.
What is the cultural origin of the tale?
Angola, drawing from its oral storytelling traditions.
Source: Kimbundu Folktale, Angola
