In the sun-drenched landscapes of Somalia, where the earth stretches endlessly beneath vast azure skies and communities have long understood the value of kinship, there once lived a goat and a sheep who shared a lovely house. Their dwelling was modest but comfortable, a place they had made into a true home through their companionship. Day after day, these two animals lived peacefully together, bound by the simple rhythms of life, waking with the sunrise, venturing out to graze on the sweet grasses that grew nearby, and returning home as evening shadows grew long across the land.
The friendship between the goat and the sheep was natural and unforced. Though different in their ways, the goat with her curious, adventurous spirit and the sheep with his gentle, thoughtful nature, they had learned to appreciate what each brought to their shared life. Their home was a sanctuary, a place of safety and comfort in a world where dangers could arise without warning.
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The Serpent at the Doorstep
One bright morning, like countless mornings before it, the goat and sheep left their house to graze on the lush grasses that grew in the fields nearby. The sun climbed higher in the sky as they ate their fill, enjoying the warmth on their backs and the taste of fresh vegetation. The goat finished her meal first, as she often did, and decided to make her way back to their house to rest through the hottest part of the day.
But as she approached their home, something made her freeze in her tracks. Her eyes widened with horror at the sight before her. There, slithering out from the doorway of their beloved house, came a snake large, menacing, and unmistakably dangerous. The serpent’s scales gleamed in the sunlight as it moved with deliberate slowness, positioning itself directly in front of the entrance.
The goat watched, her heart pounding, as the snake coiled its body near the threshold. It wasn’t moving away. It wasn’t simply passing through. No, this creature had chosen their doorway as its hunting ground, lying in wait to strike at anything or anyone who dared to try entering the house. The snake’s tongue flicked out, tasting the air, patient and deadly.
Terror gripped the goat’s heart. This was no longer their safe haven. Their home had been invaded by a predator, and she knew with absolute certainty that neither she nor the sheep could face such danger alone. Without a moment’s hesitation, she turned and ran as fast as her legs could carry her, racing back across the field to find her companion.
A Desperate Flight
“Sheep! Sheep!” the goat cried out breathlessly when she found him still grazing peacefully, unaware of the catastrophe that had befallen them. “I saw a snake come out of our house! A terrible, dangerous snake! What will we do?”
The sheep lifted his head, reading the genuine fear in his friend’s eyes. “Show me this snake,” he said, his voice steady despite the alarm he felt rising within him. Perhaps there had been some mistake. Perhaps the danger wasn’t as severe as the goat believed.
Together they made their way back toward their house, moving cautiously through the tall grasses. When they reached a point where they could see their home clearly, they both stopped. There it was exactly as the goat had described. The snake remained coiled by their door, its head raised and alert, its body positioned like a guardian of death itself, waiting with infinite patience for its prey.
The sight sent waves of fear through both animals. Without speaking, they turned and ran, their legs pumping desperately as they fled from the only home they had known. They ran and ran until their lungs burned and their legs trembled with exhaustion, not knowing where they were going, knowing only that they had to escape, to find safety somehow, somewhere.
Sanctuary in the Banana Grove
Their frantic flight eventually brought them to a banana farm, where tall green plants created a canopy of broad leaves that rustled gently in the breeze. Among these plants stood a house, and near the house sat a monkey, peacefully enjoying the shade of his own banana grove.
The goat and sheep approached the monkey, their sides heaving from their desperate run, their eyes still wide with the fear of what they had witnessed. “Please,” they gasped, “we need water, milk, and a place to sleep. Can you help us?”
The monkey looked at these two exhausted, frightened creatures before him, and his heart was moved with compassion. “What has happened to you, my friends?” he asked gently. “Why do you come to me in such distress?”
“There is a dangerous snake in our house,” they explained, their voices trembling. “We cannot go home. We have nowhere else to turn.”
The monkey’s eyes filled with sympathy. Without hesitation, he brought them fresh water to quench their thirst and milk to restore their strength. Then, with great kindness, he led them to a beautiful house he had constructed entirely from banana leaves, a dwelling that was cool, spacious, and safe from any predators that might lurk outside.
“Rest here,” the monkey told them. “You are safe now.”
The goat and sheep thanked their generous host with tears of relief and gratitude in their eyes. For the first time since fleeing their home, they felt the tight knot of fear in their chests begin to loosen. They lay down in the banana-leaf house and, exhausted from their ordeal, fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
A New Beginning
When morning light filtered through the woven banana leaves, the goat and sheep awoke to find the monkey waiting for them with a warm smile. What he said next would change their lives forever.
“I have been thinking,” the monkey began, “and I want to offer you something. You may live here in this house with me, for as long as you wish. We should all stick together and help each other. In this world, we are stronger when we stand as one.”
The goat and sheep could hardly believe their ears. This stranger, this monkey who was so different from them—was offering not just temporary shelter, but a permanent home, a place in his life, a bond of friendship and mutual protection.
Joy flooded their hearts. They accepted the monkey’s generous offer with profound gratitude, and from that day forward, the three of them lived together as the truest of friends. The monkey, the goat, and the sheep, three very different creatures formed a household united by compassion, trust, and the understanding that together they were strong enough to face any enemy, any danger, any challenge that might come their way.
The Wisdom of the Tale
This timeless Somali folktale teaches us that there is profound safety in numbers, even when it means forming bonds with those who are very different from ourselves. When danger threatens, the divisions that might separate us become meaningless. True strength lies not in going it alone, but in building communities of mutual support and protection. The monkey’s compassion, the goat’s courage in seeking help, and the sheep’s willingness to trust all combined to create something greater than any of them could have achieved individually, a family bound not by blood or similarity, but by kindness and the recognition that we all need each other to survive and thrive.
Knowledge Check
1. What was the living situation of the goat and sheep at the beginning of this Somali folktale?
The goat and sheep lived together peacefully in a lovely house that they shared as companions. They spent their days grazing on grass in nearby fields and returning home together, having created a comfortable life through their friendship despite being different types of animals.
2. What danger forced the goat and sheep to flee their home?
A large, dangerous snake emerged from their house and positioned itself at the doorway, waiting to attack anything that tried to enter. The serpent had effectively taken over their home, making it impossible for them to return safely, which forced them to abandon the only dwelling they had known.
3. How did the goat and sheep find safety after fleeing from the snake?
After running in fear until they were exhausted, the goat and sheep arrived at a banana farm where they encountered a monkey. They approached him desperately asking for water, milk, and shelter, explaining their situation about the dangerous snake that had invaded their home.
4. What did the monkey’s response reveal about his character in this folktale?
The monkey demonstrated extraordinary compassion and generosity. When he heard about their plight, he felt genuine sympathy for them and immediately provided food, water, and shelter in a house made of banana leaves. His kindness extended beyond temporary help, he offered them a permanent home and friendship.
5. What significant offer did the monkey make to the goat and sheep?
The monkey invited the goat and sheep to live with him permanently in his banana-leaf house. He expressed his belief that they should all stick together and help each other, recognizing that unity and mutual support would make them all stronger and safer against any potential enemies or dangers.
6. What is the central moral lesson of this Somali tale about unity?
This folktale teaches that there is safety in numbers and strength in diversity. It demonstrates that when facing danger, forming alliances with those different from ourselves is not just beneficial but essential for survival. True security comes from building communities based on compassion, mutual support, and the recognition that differences matter less than shared values of kindness and protection.
Source: Traditional Somali folktale
