It was cool and bright that morning, many years ago. Hare was strolling along the village path when he saw Bread in the distant hill. Bread was pulling a goat by a sisal rope tied loosely around its neck. In his right hand, was a short, thick walking stick.
As soon as Hare saw Bread, his mouth filled up with saliva. He wanted to eat Bread as soon as he could lay hands on him. He picked up the pace and was soon walking next to Bread.
“Where are you going, Bread?” he asked, a wide smile on his face.
“I’m delivering this goat to my mother-in-law.”
Hare’s craving for Bread kept growing by the minute. He jumped and grabbed Bread, opening his mouth wide to take a bite. But Bread was too strong for his attacker. He hit Hare with the walking stick, sending him running.
Hare sang as he fled:
Bread is yummy, yummy, yummy
Sweet bread deserves to be eaten
Even children eat Bread
Sweet Bread deserves to be eaten
He only stopped running when he met Bushbuck. Hare begged his new ally to help him wrestle Bread. “If you kill him, you can have the goat,” he offered.
Bushbuck agreed. They walked quickly and caught up with Bread. Hare stood away from the two, watching and swallowing thick saliva.
“Where are you headed this early morning, Bread?” Bushbuck asked, faking friendliness.
“I’m going to visit my mother-in-law.”
Hare’s body began shaking with excitement, certain that Bushbuck would soon make his dream come true. He broke out in song:
Bread is yummy, yummy, yummy
Sweet bread deserves to be eaten
Even children eat Bread
Sweet Bread deserves to be eaten
Hare had earlier ignored Tortoise, saying he was small, slow and ugly. But having run out of options, he approached Tortoise for help.
Bushbuck suddenly grabbed Bread and began fighting him. Bread held his walking stick tight and whipped Bushbuck’s on the stomach just once and he ran off, wailing. Hare also took off but continued to look for other animals to help him kill Bread. He tried Hartebeest, Buffalo and Waterbuck but each time, Bread beat them until they cried and fled.
Hare had earlier ignored Tortoise, saying he was small, slow and ugly. But having run out of options, he approached Tortoise for help. “If you kill Bread then the goat he is taking to his mother-in-law will be yours,” he said. “I will only take Bread whom I’m dying to eat.”
Tortoise agreed. They hurried after Bread and caught up with him sloping down the hill.
“Bread, where you going?” Tortoise asked.
“I’m going to visit my mother-in-law.”
By the time Bread was uttering the last word, Tortoise was already pouncing on him. They fought for a long time. Tortoise kept hiding his head under his shell every time Bread raised his stick to strike. Bread got exhausted and Tortoise eventually killed him. Hare picked Bread and hurriedly ate every piece of him.
Tortoise took his goat by the rope and started leading it home. Hare thought he looked so small besides such a big goat. He ran after Tortoise and started fighting him. He carried Tortoise and threatened to throw him into a raging fire.
“If you throw me into the fire, you would have taken me right home,” Tortoise said.
“In that case, I’ll throw you into the river.”
“If you throw me into the water, you would have killed me,” Tortoise said.
Hare threw Tortoise into the river and his body sank. He swam under water and emerged with a huge fish in his hands.
“Look at what l got!” he said, holding the fish high up for Hare to see. His body began trembling again, craving for the big catch.
“Please give me that fish,” Hare begged.
“If you want it, come closer.”
Hare walked cautiously towards Tortoise until his feet touched the water. Just then, Tortoise grabbed Hare and dragged him in. Hare drowned.
Tortoise got out of the water and took his goat home.
END
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NOTE: The Ododo Series is a project launched in April 2020 to translate, document and share Acoli folktales in English. These folktales were narrated to children by (grand) mothers in a fireplace setting in homesteads of the Acoli of Northern Uganda and elsewhere. Care has been taken to stick to the story-line as originally told in the Acoli language, but small variations are inevitable.
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Edited by Caroline Ayugi
Journeys Within 