One bright morning in a Gambian village clearing, Monkey boasted loudly before Hare and all who would listen. With a confident grin, he slapped his chest and declared, “From sunrise to sunset, I can go without scratching myself, no matter what!” His words carried the weight of a challenge, a dare no creature could ignore. Hare, never one to back away from such contests, raised his long ears proudly and replied, “And I too can go from morning until nightfall without once turning my head.” The two locked eyes, each determined to prove himself the stronger in willpower and control.
From the earliest days, Monkey and Hare were known across the land for their mischief, wit, and stubborn pride. Their contests, whether in strength, speed, or cunning, often became the talk of the village. This day’s wager was no different, drawing quiet amusement from those who overheard. To some, the challenge sounded harmless, but beneath their playful words lay the fierce desire of each to outdo the other.
As the golden sun climbed higher, Monkey sat cross-legged, arms folded tightly across his chest. At first, it seemed simple enough. His smooth brown skin itched slightly, but he clenched his teeth and reminded himself of the boast he had made. Hare, meanwhile, stood proudly, gazing straight ahead without so much as a twitch to the left or right. His long ears twitched faintly in the breeze, but his head remained steady, his eyes fixed forward.
By midday, however, the test grew heavier. The scorching Gambian sun pressed down on Monkey’s back, and beads of sweat trickled along his shoulders. His skin tingled and begged for relief. Monkey shifted uneasily. He wanted desperately to scratch, but his pride forbade him. Hare, too, began to struggle. The open fields behind him whispered of movement, a bird, perhaps, or a rustling branch yet he dared not look back. His neck ached, but he kept his face stern and still.
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Finally, Monkey could bear no more. With a dramatic sigh, he turned to Hare and exclaimed, “When I was at war, I was wounded here!” He scratched at his arm. “And here!” He scratched at his shoulder. “And here as well!” Each place he named as an old scar, he clawed at with relief, pretending his scratching was not weakness but storytelling. Hare raised his brow, amused at the clever excuse, but he too was reaching his limit.
Moments later, Hare declared, “When they chased me in the war, I leapt here!” He jerked his head sharply to the right. “And there!” He flung it left. “And over there!” He turned behind him in quick succession. With each dramatic leap of his head, he disguised his need to turn around as part of his tale.
The two tricksters laughed, each pretending victory though both had broken their vow. Monkey, with his scratches disguised as war wounds, and Hare, with his turns masked as battle leaps, stood triumphant in their own eyes. Yet those who heard their words and saw their actions knew the truth: both had failed, though neither would admit it.
Thus ended their contest in a draw a battle not of strength, but of clever excuses. Monkey and Hare walked away with their pride intact, each claiming to have upheld the challenge, though their trickery betrayed them.
Moral Lesson
This Gambian folktale reminds us that pride often leads to unnecessary contests. Both Monkey and Hare cared less about honesty than about proving themselves superior. Their clever excuses may have saved face, but they revealed the truth: sometimes it is better to admit our limits than to hide them behind falsehoods. True strength lies not in stubborn boasting, but in humility and sincerity.
Knowledge Check
Q1: Who are the main characters in the folktale?
A1: The story centres on Monkey and Hare, two tricksters known for their pride and cunning.
Q2: What challenge did Monkey set for himself?
A2: Monkey claimed he could last from sunrise to sunset without scratching himself.
Q3: What was Hare’s competing challenge?
A3: Hare boasted that he could go the entire day without turning his head around.
Q4: How did Monkey break his vow without admitting defeat?
A4: He pretended to show old war wounds, scratching himself while claiming he was pointing to scars.
Q5: How did Hare disguise his own failure?
A5: Hare acted out a story of leaping during a chase, turning his head dramatically in different directions.
Q6: What cultural value does this Gambian folktale highlight?
A6: It reflects the dangers of pride and the human tendency to justify failure with clever excuses instead of honesty.
Folktale Origin
Source: Mandinka folktale, The Gambia.
