The Owls and their Servants
In days of yore, the owl, with sagacity befitting her station, resolved to engage a servant for the tending of her owlets. “Mbwa, the canine of domesticity, shall prove a most suitable attendant,” she declared, and forthwith inducted the aforementioned dog into her service.
The dog discharged his duties with commendable fidelity, and upon the maturation of his whelps, they, too, were enlisted as retainers to the avian family of owls.
Then, upon a certain day, the owl did instruct the dog, saying, “Repair to the village of humankind, and thence procure fire, returning it hither.”
The dog duly proceeded to the village. There, he was met with victuals and affectionate ministrations by the villagers; he determined, therefore, to take up residence amongst them.
The owl doth yet persist in her vocations, calling, “Mbwa! Mbwa! Mbwa!” but the dog, alas, hath not seen fit to return from his sojourn.
The Canine and the Bovine
The canine reposed upon the bovine's sward.
When the bovine approached to consume the herbage, the canine obstructed her.
'I comprehend not,' quoth the bovine to the canine. 'Thou dost not subsist upon grass; 'tis my victual, not thine. Wherefore dost thou debar me from my sward?'
The canine merely bayed at her, 'Wo! Wo!' which signifieth, 'Depart! Depart!'
The bovine declared, 'Canine, thou art possessed of a most obdurate heart.'
Ever since, the canine doth pursue the bovine. When he giveth chase, she attempteth to pierce him with her horns, but upon the canine's vociferation, the bovine doth yield and withdraw.
The Tale of the Squirrel and the Viper
A Squirrel and a Viper, being of amicable disposition toward one another, found themselves in converse, whereupon the Viper proposed to the Squirrel, 'Pray, let us reside together within a single nest!'
The Squirrel, however, evinced a certain hesitation. 'I am not entirely convinced that such an arrangement would prove judicious,' quoth she.
'For should we commence to occupy the same abode, there exists the distinct possibility that you might inflict harm upon my person, considering your nature as a Viper.'
'I should never dream of causing you injury!' the Viper retorted with considerable vehemence.
Thus, the Squirrel and the Viper established a joint residence.
In due course, the Squirrel brought forth offspring.
Upon an occasion when she had absented herself in pursuit of sustenance, the Viper devoured the entirety of the Squirrel's progeny.
And now, when one chances to hear the lamentations of the Squirrel, she is, in effect, enquiring, 'Is the Viper truly my friend? Truly a friend? In very truth?'
The Frog and His Two Wives
A Frog, it would seem, was possessed of two wives, both of whom exhibited a marked proficiency in the culinary arts.
Upon a certain day, these two consorts did prepare a porridge, and lo, their respective concoctions were ready for consumption at one and the self-same moment. The elder wife did proclaim, withal, “The porridge doth await; prithee, come!” The younger wife, not to be outdone, did echo, “The porridge is prepared; attend!”
The Frog, finding himself in a predicament of no small import, did lament, “Both my wives do summon me; should I attend the elder, the younger shall harbour resentment; conversely, should I favour the younger, the elder shall be aggrieved.”
Thus, the Frog, in his distress, did commence to vocalise in song:
I find myself in a most parlous situation! I am beset by tribulation!
Kuo-kuo! kuo-kuo!
Such is the lamentation that issues from the Frog's throat: a testament to the vexations arising from his dual conjugal state.
I'm in trouble! Kuo-kuo!
Of Beasts and the Precipitation
The terrestrial expanse lay parched, and the animal kingdom stood in dire requisition of rainfall.
The Elephantine proboscis emitted a sonorous trumpeting, yet the heavens remained impervious to the plea.
Giraffa, with a vehement percussive action of its ungulates, attempted to summon the aqueous bounty, alas, to no avail.
Beasts of considerable magnitude and those of diminutive stature essayed their utmost, but their endeavours proved fruitless.
Then did Rana commence a vocalisation of peculiar cadence; upon the utterance of its croaking, nimbus clouds congregated, and the longed-for precipitation descended.
'Excavate subterranean cavities!' Rana vociferated to the assembled fauna. 'Conserve the vital fluid within the confines of pools, lacustrine bodies, and fluvial courses.'
Whilst Rana continued its melodious chant, the collective animal population diligently excavated receptacles for the accumulating water.
'We, the Ranae,' he declared with gravitas, 'shall inhabit the aqueous domain, and upon the commencement of our vocalisation, the rains shall begeth.'
Thus, shouldst thou perceive the croaking of Ranae, be assured that the advent of rainfall is imminent.